Barnhill Arena

Barnhill Arena is a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now used primarily for volleyball. The arena opened in 1954 and was home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks (men's) and Ladybacks (women's) basketball teams before they moved to Bud Walton Arena in 1993. Prior to that, the arena had been considered to be one of the toughest to play in, first in the Southwest Conference and then in the Southeastern Conference, especially when Nolan Richardson was coach; it earned the nickname "Barnhell Arena" because of its rabid student section. After the opening of the new arena, the university converted Barnhill Arena into a volleyball and gymnastics-specific facility, and the Ladybacks' volleyball and gymnastics teams have played there ever since. The arena is also occasionally used for special events, such as concerts, graduations, and speakers.

John Barnhill Arena
Former namesArkansas Fieldhouse (1954–1973)
Location285 N Stadium Dr
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Coordinates36°04′00″N 94°10′41″W
OwnerUniv. of Arkansas
OperatorUniv. of Arkansas
Capacity9,000
Construction
Broke ground1953
Opened1954
Tenants
Arkansas Razorbacks basketball (1954–1993) Arkansas Razorbacks
(Volleyball and Gymnastics)

It was originally built as the Arkansas Fieldhouse and renamed in 1973 in honor of John Barnhill, the school's former head football coach and athletic director.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.