Northern Michigan University boasts one of the finest collections of athletic and recreational sports facilities in NCAA Division II, if not the country. The NMU Sports Complex features a connected unit of three first-class venues: the Superior Dome, the Physical Education Instructional Facility (PEIF) and the Berry Events Center. Along with being the home to Wildcat Athletics, the complex also houses the Northern Michigan University National Training Site (NMU-NTS). Some of the teams also practice and/or compete on the outdoor sports facilities of the NMU campus and around the Marquette area, such as the NMU Outdoor Fields, Marquette’s Blueberry Cross Country Ski Trail and Ishpeming’s Al Quaal Recreation Center.
Physical Education Instructional Facility (PEIF)
More commonly called the PEIF, the Physical Education Instructional Facility opened in 1976. The facility houses the PEIF pool, which is home to the NMU men's and women's swimming and diving teams, and Vandament Arena, where the Wildcat volleyball team plays.
The PEIF also houses a two-level recreation center, renovated in December 1999, complete with a climbing wall, weight room, cardiovascular area, two basketball courts, two lounge areas, and a Wildcat Fit station. Also located in the PEIF are six racquetball courts, a golf simulator, a dance studio and fitness room, athletic training facilities, locker rooms, and classrooms as well as an auxiliary gymnasium that the Wildcat men's and women's basketball teams use for practice. The PEIF pool features eight lanes and a diving tank with one and three meter springboards.
The PEIF offers a variety of services to the community at large, such as swimming lessons, American Red Cross certification courses, youth summer camps, sports camps and birthday parties. For more information on renting areas within the PEIF, call 906-227-2519 or stop by the Recreational Sports main office, PEIF 126.
NMU Rec Sports is proud to offer equipment provided by Living Fit. Living Fit has provided the following equipment for use within the PEIF and Fit Zone:
Superior Dome
The Superior Dome has been home to the Wildcat football team since its construction in 1991 and is now also home to the Wildcat soccer teams, Wildcat lacrosse and Wildcat track teams. The Dome stands 14 stories high and encompasses 5.1 acres under its roof. Constructed of 781 Douglas Fir beams and 108.5 miles of fir decking, the Dome has a permanent seating capacity of 8,000, although the building can hold as many as 16,000 people.
In the "Book of World Records - 2010," the Superior Dome is listed as the fifth-largest dome structure in the world (largest being measure by diameter). The four other structures that are larger are made of steel, making it the largest wooden dome structure. The facility has a diameter of 536 feet. It has the ability to withstand 60 pounds per square foot of snow and 80 mile per hour winds.
The Dome's features include a retractable artificial turf, the largest of its kind in the world. When extended, the turf has the ability to accommodate football, soccer (120x72 ft. field) and lacrosse. Underneath the turf is a synthetic playing surface that features three basketball/volleyball courts and a 200-meter track. Three concession areas provide service to all events.
Twelve computerized winches extend the turf over a cushion of air. It takes 30 minutes to retract the artificial turf and approximately two hours for full set up to be completed.
The Superior Dome is home to the Wildcat Athletic Department offices for all coaches and staff members other than hockey, basketball, swimming and diving, and volleyball. The Dome is also home of the NMU National Training Site offices, as well as special training areas for the NMU-NTS weightlifting and wrestling teams.
For information on renting the Superior Dome, call 906-227-2850.
For information on purchasing tickets, please contact the NMU Ticket Office, located in the Berry Events Center, at 906-227-1032.
Berry Events Center
The Berry Events Center, which opened its doors in October 1999, is home to the Northern Michigan hockey team and men’s and women’s basketball teams. The facility is named in honor of the John Berry family, who made a gift of $2 million to Northern Michigan to help build the facility. John Berry is a 1971 Northern Michigan alumnus.
The facility provides individual seating for approximately 3,800 fans, in addition to seats in 16 luxury boxes. Along the perimeter of the arena are four large concession areas, as well as standing room for approximately 400 fans.
When used for hockey, the Berry Events Center has an Olympic-sized ice sheet measuring 200 feet by 100 feet. When rigged for basketball, the court sits on protective flooring that is placed over the ice, providing an additional courtside seating for 500 fans. Conversion from hockey to basketball is completed in approximately five hours.
The Berry Events Center features locker rooms for each of its home teams, as well as four general-use locker rooms. A weight room, athletic training room and meeting rooms are located in the hockey area.
For information on renting the Berry Events Center, call 906-227-2850. For interest in purchasing tickets, please call the Berry Events Center Ticket Office at 906-227-1032.