University Arena is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, United States. Located in Read Fieldhouse, the arena opened in 1957 and is home to multiple

Western Michigan Broncos The Western Michigan Broncos are a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I program representing Western Michigan University (WMU) in college athletics. They compete in the Mid-American Conference in men's coll ...

athletic teams, including men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, women's indoor track and field, and women's volleyball. The facility seats 5,421 people. Read Fieldhouse was named for Buck Read, WMU head men's basketball coach from 1922 to 1949. In 1994, University Arena went through a major renovation, adding to bring the total to . The renovation included rotating the playing surface 90 degrees and reducing the seating capacity from over 10,000 to 5,421. Before the basketball team moved into Read Fieldhouse, WMU played at Oakland Gymnasium from the 1938–39 season through the 1956–57 season. In addition to hosting WMU basketball games, the arena also hosts high school basketball games between Kalamazoo Central and Kalamazoo Loy Norrix high schools twice a year as a neutral site.

The Zoo

University Arena is home to ''The Zoo'', Western Michigan's student section for basketball games. Formerly known as the ''Bronco Brigade'', ''The Zoo'' was formed in 2003 and officially named in 2004.

References

College basketball venues in Michigan Western Michigan Broncos basketball Buildings and structures in Kalamazoo, Michigan Sports in Kalamazoo, Michigan Sports venues completed in 1957 1957 establishments in Michigan College volleyball venues in the United States College indoor track and field venues in the United States Athletics (track and field) venues in Michigan Indoor arenas in Michigan Sports venues in Kalamazoo, Michigan {{Michigan-stadium-stub

The Zoo

See also

References