Ellis T. Johnson Arena is a 6,500-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

Morehead, Kentucky Morehead is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city located along U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky, US 60 (the historic Midland Trail) and Interstate 64 in Kentucky, Interstate 64 in Rowan County, Kentucky, Rowan County, Kentucky, in the United ...

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. Located in the Academic-Athletic Center on the campus of

Morehead State University Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-year residential ...

, it is the home to the

Morehead State Eagles The Morehead State Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Morehead State University (MSU), located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks (for football, the Football Champio ...

men's and women's

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to inf ...

s. Construction began in 1978, and the building opened in 1981. The Eagles won their inaugural game in the building on Dec. 3, 1981, over the University of Charleston. Johnson Arena can be easily transformed into an auditorium for concerts and commencements. At the east end of the playing floor, a hydraulic stage can be raised for events. Johnson Arena largely replaced Wetherby Gymnasium which continues to house the Eagles volleyball team. It hosted the

Ohio Valley Conference The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Cham ...

men's basketball tournament in 1984, and has also hosted such entertainment acts as

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, David Letterman, M.C. Hammer, the

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, Jeff Foxworthy,

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

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and

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. The arena is named after former Morehead State basketball, baseball, and football coach, Ellis T. Johnson.

References

College basketball venues in the United States Indoor arenas in Kentucky Morehead State Eagles men's basketball Basketball venues in Kentucky Buildings and structures in Rowan County, Kentucky 1981 establishments in Kentucky Sports venues completed in 1981 {{Kentucky-stadium-stub

See also

References