Welsh-Ryan Arena

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Welsh-Ryan Arena
Location	Ashland Ave Evanston, IL 60201
Opened	December 6, 1952
Owner	Northwestern Univ.
Operator	Northwestern Univ.
Former names	McGaw Memorial Hall (1952-83)
Tenants	Northwestern Wildcats (Basketball, Volleyball, Wrestling) 1956 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
Capacity	8,117

Welsh-Ryan Arena is an 8,117-seat multi-purpose arena in Evanston, Illinois. The arena opened in 1952 as McGaw Memorial Hall. It is home to the Northwestern University Wildcats basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams. It is located to the north of Ryan Field on the athletic campus, and also contains the stadium's field house. The arena hosted the 1956 NCAA Final Four. Patten Gymnasium, formerly located on the main campus at Northwestern, hosted the first NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1939 and was later torn down in order to build the Technological Institute in its place, which was completed in 1942. A smaller Patten Gymnasium was built to the north of the original site, which still stands and is mostly used for student recreation, intramural sports, and club sports.

McGaw Memorial Hall was named by benefactor Foster McGaw for his father, the Rev. Francis McGaw, a Presbyterian minister who had died in Kenya ten years prior. The arena itself was renamed following the 1982-83 renovations in honor of lead benefactor Patrick G. Ryan, president of the board of trustees, and his wife's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Welsh Sr.

Opposing fans often outnumber Wildcat fans at men's basketball games, most notably in games against the Wisconsin Badgers, when commentators refer to the arena as "Kohl Center South."

[edit] External links

• Welsh-Ryan Arena (from NUSports.com)

Preceded by Municipal Auditorium

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Finals Venue 1956

Succeeded by Municipal Auditorium

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v • d • e Basketball Arenas of the Big Ten Conference Assembly Hall (Illinois) • Assembly Hall (Indiana) • Breslin Student Events Center (Michigan State) • Bryce Jordan Center (Penn State) • Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa) • Crisler Arena (Michigan) • Kohl Center (Wisconsin) • Mackey Arena (Purdue) • Value City Arena (Ohio State) • Welsh-Ryan Arena (Northwestern) • Williams Arena (Minnesota)

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