Summit League Basketball Arenas
Denver University (Denver, Colorado)
For the last two years, the Pioneers have played their home games at Hamilton Gymnasium.
Photo via DU Athletics
Opened in ?
Capacity: 2,500
Season-to-date average: Men 755 (15 home games), Women 249 (12 home games)
Pre-pandemic, Denver played their home games at Magness Arena, a shared multipurpose arena who currently houses the DU hockey team.
Photo via DU Athletics
Opened in 1999
Capacity: 7,200
The arena is named after cable television pioneer Bob Magness and hosted the 2012 Presidential Debate.
University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City, Missouri)
UMKC’s home, whether that be conference or arena, has changed a lot in the past few years. Previously, the Roos played at Municipal Auditorium, a historic arena in downtown Kansas City.
Opened in 1931
Capacity: 7,300
Before the start of the 2019 season, UMKC announced they would be leaving the Auditorium and moving to the Swinney Center, a UMKC student recreation facility.
Jack Chapman (#34) shooting a free throw in the first half. (Julia Kapros/Roo News)
Opened in 1941
Capacity: 1,500
Season-to-date average: Men 595 (12 home games), Women 556 (11 home games)
North Dakota (Grand Forks, North Dakota)
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks play their home games at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, known as the Betty. The namesake for the arena comes from Betty Engelstad, the wife of casino tycoon and UND booster Ralph Engelstad.
The Betty was built attached to the massive Ralph Engelstad Arena, largely considered the nicest college hockey facility in the country. One question: Why, if UND was required to change the name of their athletic teams, is it still called the Betty Engelstad SIOUX Center? Shouldn’t the name have change with the rest of the university athletic teams? Clearly, there is some sort of tie-up with the Engelstad Foundation and keeping the name as is, but still, a little surprising there hasn’t been a larger controversy/push to change the name.
Photo via UND Athletics
Opened in 2004
Capacity: 3,300
Season-to-date average: Men 1,294 (11 home games), Women 1,140 (11 home games)
North Dakota State University (Fargo, North Dakota)
NDSU’s current home is situated on the site of its previous home, the Bison Sports Arena. Estimated to hold around 8,000 and built in 1970, the BSA was unique. Underneath the massive pull out wooden bleachers, there was a flat 200 meter track. Between basketball, wrestling, and home track meets, the BSA was a busy building during the winter months.
Photos via NDSU Athletics
After an extensive facilities update, the BSA was remolded and rebranded, now as the Scheels Center. The Scheels Center is part of the larger Sanford Health Athletic Complex, which was built for $50 million.
Opened in 2016
Capacity: 5,460
Season-to-date average: Men 1,801 (13 home games), Women 460 (11 home games)
University of Nebraska-Omaha (Omaha, Nebraska)
Another shared hockey facility, Baxter Arena is the primary home of UNO basketball and hockey. Previously, UNO played basketball at Ralston Arena, an off-campus facility which housed 4,600.
Photo via UNO Athletics
Opened in 2015
Capacity: 7,898
Season to date average: Men 910 (12 home games), Women 444 (11 home games)
Baxter Arena is large and sits mostly empty during home basketball games. UNO uses a sheet to hide some of the empty seats and create a little more intimate environment.
Oral Roberts University (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Named after a Tulsa oilman, the Mabee Center is the largest arena in the Summit League. The Mabee Center’s history of famous acts is impressive and includes Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Jay Leno, Luciano Pavarotti, Garth Brooks, and The Bee Gees, among many others.
Photos via ORU Athletics
Opened in 1972
Capacity: 8,781
Season-to-date average: Men 3,934 (12 home games), Women 1,520 (12 home games)
In the 70s and 80s, the Mabee Center hosted multiple NCAA Tournaments (first rounds and regionals).
St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota)
The Summit League’s newest member, St. Thomas, boasts one of the more intimate venues in the league. Located just off the Mississippi River in the heart of the Twin Cities, Shoenecker Arena is about right for a former Division III school transitioning to Division I.
Photo via St. Thomas Athletics
Opened in 2010
Capacity: 1,800
Season-to-date average: Men 901 (9 home games), Women 329 (11 home games)
University of South Dakota (Vermillion, South Dakota)
In 2016, USD moved from one of the strangest basketball setups in Division I basketball to possibly the nicest arena in the entire Summit League with the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
Photo via Sioux City Journal
The Sanford Coyote Sports Center, which is connected to the Dakota Dome, is a model arena for mid-major basketball. It was built for $73 million, 20 of which came from Sanford Health.
Photo via USD Athletics
Opened in 2016
Capacity: 6,000
Season-to-date average: Men 1,561 (13 home games), Women 1,944 (11 home games)
South Dakota State University (Brookings, South Dakota)
Frost Arena is without question the most difficult place to play in the Summit League, men or women. The Jackrabbit faithful has created one of the best home environments in all of mid-major Division I basketball.
Photso via SDSU Athletics
Opened in 1973
Capacity: 6,500
Season-to-date average: Men 2,030 (11 home games), Women 1,451 (10 home games)
Frost Arena’s attendance record (9,456) is from a 1989 game men’s game vs. Augustana.
While I prefer this older court, the checkerboard baseline at Frost Arena is iconic. My only complaint has been where the student section was moved to, which was from the sidelines (seen above) to the baselines (top picture). If everything goes as expected in Pierre over the next month, SDSU will be looking at a renovated Frost Arena, which will then be called First Bank and Trust Arena, for the start of 2024 season.
Western Illinois University (Macomb, Illinois)
Not much to say about Western Hall other than it seems like the Leatherneck faithful is desperate for a new facility, as Western Hall is the oldest arena in the Summit League. On the bright side, the court itself is probably the best in the entire league.
Photo via WIU Athletics
Opened in 1964
Capacity: 4,421
Season-to-date average: Men 763 (11 home games), Women 289 (13 home games)
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Rankings
by Capacity
Mabee Center
Baxter Arena
Frost Arena
Sanford Coyote Sports Center
Scheels Center
Western Hall
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
Hamilton Gymnasium
Schoenecker Arena
Swinney Center
by Age (newest to oldest)
Scheels Center
Sanford Coyote Sports Center
Baxter Arena
Shoenecker Arena
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
Frost Arena
Mabee Center
Western Hall
Swinney Center
Hamilton Gymnasium (unknown)
by Attendance average (men’s home games 2021-22 season)
Oral Roberts
SDSU
NDSU
USD
UND
Omaha
St. Thomas
Western Ill.
Denver
UMKC
by Attendance average (women’s home games 2021-22 season)
USD
Oral Roberts
SDSU
UND
UMKC
NDSU
Omaha
St. Thomas
Western Ill.
Denver