Hooper Eblen Center, often called The Hoop by students, is a 9,282-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

located on the campus of

Tennessee Tech Tennessee Technological University (commonly referred to as Tennessee Tech) is a public research university in Cookeville, Tennessee. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and before that as University of Dixie, the name unde ...

Cookeville, Tennessee Cookeville is the county seat and largest city of Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was reported to be 34,842. It is recognized as one of the country's Cookeville micropolitan area, mic ...

. Named for former TTU coach and professor

Hooper Eblen Robert "Hooper" Eblen (November 16, 1911 – June 30, 1976) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at Tennessee Tech from 1947 to 1949, compiling a record of 12–19. Eblen was school's head basketball ...

, the arena is home to the

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles men's basketball Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Miss ...

and Golden Eagles women's basketball teams. Before the construction of the arena, the on-campus home to the Tennessee Tech men's and women's basketball teams was the Memorial Gym, a post-War gymnasium located on the quadrangle. The Hooper Eblen Center opened on October 2, 1977, with a

Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow (born Phoebe Ann Laub; July 17, 1950 – April 26, 2011) was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs "Poetry Man" and "Harpo's Blues", and her credited guest vocals on Paul Simo ...

concert as its inaugural event.

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

had originally been scheduled to give the arena's first performance on September 27. However, these plans were canceled after the late singer's death on August 16.

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

performed the first sell-out concert at the Hooper Eblen Center on August 1, 1982, with 11,210 people in attendance. Eblen Center 2020 graduation

References

External links

Tennessee Technical University websiteTTU Golden Eagles athletics website
College basketball venues in Tennessee Buildings and structures in Putnam County, Tennessee Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles basketball 1977 establishments in Tennessee {{Tennessee-stadium-stub

See also

References

External links