UK women’s basketball, volleyball and gymnastics teams have a new home for 2023-24
The University of Kentucky teams temporarily displaced from Memorial Coliseum due to an $82 million renovation to the historic arena will not have to go far for a new home.
Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington will serve as the primary home for the women’s basketball, gymnastics and volleyball teams during the 2023-24 school year, UK announced Tuesday. For any home games scheduled on a day where there was already an event slated for Rupp Arena, Kentucky will play at Transylvania University’s Clive M. Beck Center.
The primary home arena for UK’s STUNT team next season will be announced soon, according to UK’s news release, which notes the STUNT team has already hosted events at other UK campus venues.
In February, the UK Board of Trustees approved the start of the Memorial Coliseum renovation project, which has been a priority for the Wildcat athletics department for years. Construction has begun with the goal of the teams returning to the facility for the 2024 fall semester.
As part of the renovation, UK plans to enhance the memorial for Kentuckians who died in military service as well as add air conditioning, renovate seating and improve lighting and sound systems. The renovation includes offices and academic facilities housed in the building. Memorial Coliseum was opened in 1950 as the home of the men’s basketball team, which now plays all its home games at Rupp Arena.
The women’s basketball, volleyball and gymnastics teams will have some familiarity with their new home.
The women’s basketball team has played at least one game in Rupp Arena in each of the last 11 seasons. The volleyball team won a match against Mississippi State in Rupp Arena in October 2012. The gymnastics team drew more than 10,000 fans for its Excite Night home opener in Rupp Arena in January.
Rupp Arena has also hosted women’s NCAA Tournament regional games in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Memorial Coliseum capacity is listed at 8,500, while Rupp Arena seats 20,545 for basketball games. UK does have the option of curtaining off the upper level at Rupp Arena to create a more intimate atmosphere, as it did during some of the NCAA Tournament regional games.
Transylvania’s Clive M. Beck Center, which is located at the corner of North Broadway and West Fourth Street, has a capacity of 1,200 for basketball games.
This story was originally published April 18, 2023 at 11:51 AM.