North Carolina State University Athletics
Reynolds Coliseum
7/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
Home to NC State Women's Basketball, Wrestling and Gymnastics
Welcome to historic William Neal Reynolds Coliseum. To those who are familiar with its deep-rooted history as one of the most well-known buildings in the south, this piece will not serve as an introduction, but as a reminder of the great events this center has hosted and of those it will continue to showcase.
Reynolds Coliseum is a building with character, it is not the multi-million dollar arena sports fans are used to entering. It is however a building with historic implications and a past rich in tradition. Those who were in attendance for the NCAA and ACC Tournaments, presidential addresses, musical concerts and countless other events, are very proud of what the coliseum represents. The on-campus arena opened in 1949 and at that time was the largest indoor facility of its kind between Atlantic City and New Orleans.
The complex is known as the "The House That Case Built," and for good reason. Is was former men's basketball coach, Everett Case (also in the Naismith Hall of Fame with Coach Yow) who brought big time basketball to NC State, as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference. And, in fact, he was highly responsible for the construction of the building itself.
Case may have played a large role in building Reynolds Coliseum, but head women's basketball coach Kay Yow has been instrumental in providing countless memories to Wolfpack fans over the past four decades. Her legacy is now forever entrenched after the NC State University Board of Trustees approved the renaming of the basketball court "Kay Yow Court" on Feb. 16, 2007.
Today the 9,500 seats that remain inside hold within them a sealed greatness for those who passed before. Once the home of NC State men's basketball, it is now the home court of NC State women's basketball and is one of a select few arenas that houses just one basketball program. Current head coach Kay Yow and her women's basketball program play each home game in Reynolds. She is the all-time winningest coach in Reynolds with 343 wins, surpassing Everett Case who finished with 211. The numerous banners hanging from the rafters acknowledge her achievements as a coach, as well as those of her teams. There are seven banners representing retired jerseys, ACC Championship banners, Naismith and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame banners, 700 wins for Yow's career, 600 wins at NC State, 900 coached games, NCAA Tournament selections and a Final Four appearance.
When the men's basketball program moved off campus to compete in the RBC Center in 1999-00, the Wolfpack Women took over tenancy as the sole proprietors of Reynolds and enjoy having a facility to call their own. From the ACC Championship banners hanging in the rafters, to the Wolfpack Women logo on the court, Reynolds Coliseum is truly the home of the Wolfpack Women.
The first game was played on Friday, December 2, 1949, as the Wolfpack men's team defeated Washington & Lee, 67-47. The first women's game took place 25 years later on December 7, 1974, when the Pack women downed Virginia 57-45. The honors of attempting the first shot, grabbing the first rebound and scoring the first basket in the building all go to Vic Bubas. Bubas, who played at NC State from 1948-51 seasons, later coached at Duke and then became the Commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference.
Genie Jordan of Mt. Gilead, N.C., was the first NC State women's player to swish the nets. The younger sister of former North Carolina Lt. Governor Bob Jordan '54, she played for the Wolfpack for one season, 1974-75.
The first women's three-point basket made in Reynolds Coliseum was credited to Lori Phillips, when she drained a bomb from the three-point line on December 12, 1987, in a 69-56 win over UNC-Asheville.
The largest crowd ever to witness a women's game in Reynolds Coliseum was 11,520 fans for the January 12, 1991, conference showdown between the Wolfpack Women and Virginia. Believed to be one of the greatest women's games ever played, the record crowd witnessed the first league triple overtime women's game. The contest set a NCAA record for the highest combined score in a women's game, which stood until the 1996-97 season, as NC State lost to the Cavaliers, 123-120. Virginia's victory ended the Wolfpack's 13 game winning streak at Reynolds Coliseum.
Earlier that season, a crowd of 7,340 attended the Wolfpack's contest against Tennessee in Reynolds Coliseum. State entered the game ranked seventh in the nation, and defeated the eventual national champions, 90-77.
Before the 1990-91 season, the largest crowd ever to witness a women's game in Reynolds Coliseum was 6,800 fans for a 1979 encounter with UCLA. The Wolfpack thrilled the audience with a 90-69 win over the Lady Bruins, who came to Raleigh ranked fifth and were the defending AIAW National Champions.
During the 1989-90 season, 6,535 fans turned out for a game between NC State and Maryland. Andrea Stinson canned a 16-foot jump shot with nine seconds left to give the Pack a 77-76 win, much to the delight of the fans in attendance and a national television audience over ESPN.
A crowd of 6,500 turned out for a 1978 meeting between No. 4 ranked NC State and No. 1 Wayland Baptist and again the home team was victorious, 98-86.
In the 34 seasons that the Wolfpack Women have played in historic Reynolds Coliseum, fans have cheered them on to a 346-89 overall record.
Reynolds has been the site of numerous postseason competitions for women's basketball. The ACC Women's Tournament was played there in 1979 and 1982 and NC State has since been the only league member to host the event. Reynolds was also the site for the Women's NCAA East Regional in 1982. In 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2001 and 2003 the facility hosted an NCAA first and second-round game.
According to Wolfpack head coach Kay Yow, playing in Reynolds is a plus for her team. "You can always feel the excitement from the crowd in Reynolds and sense their enthusiasm. The fans are very close to the court, making it a very effective home court advantage. The Coliseum is old, but it serves our purpose well. It's our home arena and each time we walk the steps to the court it gives us a lift."
It's obvious Reynolds is a grand, old home to the Wolfpack. It has won over 79 percent (346-89) of the games played there. During a stretch of three seasons the Wolfpack won 24 straight in Reynolds Coliseum, setting the longest winning streak on record. The Wolfpack's longest losing streak at home is just three games.
Reynolds Coliseum, which cost more than three million dollars to build in the 1940s, is also used for civic events, commencement exercises, summer conferences and camps, concerts, dances and student gatherings.
The building is still one of the largest in the South. It is 371 feet long and 180 feet wide (66,700 sq. ft.). The inside dimensions are 312 feet by 108 feet. A feature of the building is that it has a basement the entire length and width of the building, which makes it much easier to convert the seating arrangement from basketball to concerts.
Dressing, training, and weight rooms are located in the lower level of the Coliseum. The coliseum will begin undergoing renovations over the course of the following year, implementing several new amenities, but will continue to be the home of Wolfpack Women's basketball.
As the arena grows older after more than half a century from the first day it opened, NC State continues to create historic memories in the historic Reynolds Coliseum.
