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Vandament Arena
The home court for the NMU women’s volleyball team is Vandament Arena, one of the finest volleyball facilities in the nation. The arena is located in the Physical Education and Instructional Facility (PEIF), located between the Superior Dome and the Berry Events Center in the NMU Sports Complex.
The facility, originally named the NMU Volleyball Arena, was opened prior to the 1995 season. Before that, the volleyball team used Hedgcock Fieldhouse as its home court and shared the facility with the NMU men’s and women’s basketball teams. Vandament Arena was officially dedicated on Nov. 9, 1997, and is named after Dr. William E. Vandament, who served as NMU president from 1991-97.
Vandament, an avid supporter of the Wildcat volleyball team, was in office when the Wildcats won their national championships in 1993 and 1994. He retired in the summer of 1997.
The 1,500-seat arena features retractable bleachers on each side of the main court. When not used for volleyball matches, Vandament Arena has three basketball/volleyball courts for student use. In addition, the facility has a scoreboard on each end of the main court.
The Wildcat volleyball team’s locker room is located just outside the arena and features a team room and a locker area, which has individualized wood lockers for each player, as well as a shower area. The team room contains a computer and big-screen television that is used to break down opponent video and go over scouting reports prior to matches.
Vandament Arena was the site of the 2003 NCAA first-round volleyball playoffs when the Wildcats played host to Northern Kentucky. It also hosted USOEC events such as Junior Olympic Nation Boxing Championships, USA Vs. Marines Wrestling Dual, and the Women's Junior World Volleyball team. Along with athletic events, the facility also is used for concerts, lectures and other university and community events. Some of the recent events held there have been the installation of NMU President Les Wong, a performance by the Golden Chinese Acrobats, and a lecture by the MythBusters.
Since moving to the facility in 1995, the Wildcats have posted a 123-17 record for a winning percentage of .878. Included in that total is part of a school record 66-match home court winning streak, and part of a conference record 80-match string of home wins.
For information on renting Vandament Arena, call 906-227-2519.
For information about the PEIF building hours, go to Facility Schedules. Events taking place at the Vandament Arena can found on the Recreation & Sports Complex calendar.
