Long acknowledged as one of the most outstanding places to watch a college basketball game on the West Coast, USF’s War Memorial Gymnasium has undergone the most striking changes since its dedication over the past few years.
This past summer, as part of the new Ricky and Therese Curotto Student-Athlete Center, the Moran Center (weight room) was enlarged and a new athletic training complex was built. A student-athlete study center, with computer availability, has just been opened. Baseball and cross-country/track received new locker rooms, as well.
This followed the additions of the previous summer when several new locker rooms were added that for the first time gave locker rooms to all USF athletic teams. In that phase, the men's basketball locker room was enlarged and a lounge area was added.
USF’s War Memorial Gymnasium was the site of the first ever CBS national telecast in 1982 when USF faced the University of Georgia. It also hosted two postseason NIT games in 2005.
In 1989, War Memorial Gymnasium became a center primarily for campus intercollegiate events. The Koret Health and Recreation Center across campus is now the USF intramural, swimming and recreation facility.
This year, for the first time, the athletic department took over all of the office space in the building and the Exercise and Sports Science departments were relocated.
Dedicated to USF’s dead from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, War Memorial Gym has been the scene of scores of Dons championship efforts.
The color and tradition of the Dons’ rich basketball heritage are evident as soon as one enters the gym. Banners commemorating the NIT and NCAA titles are present, as are those marking championships in the WCC as well as in the USF women's former league, the Northern California Athletic Conference. Also on display are the numbers of the seven basketball jerseys USF has retired: Mary Hile’s #15 and Brittany Lindhe’s #40, Bill Russell’s #6, K.C. Jones’ #4, Bill Cartwright’s #24, Mike Farmer’s #17 and Phil Smith’s #20. Coaches Phil Woolpert and Pete Newell are also honored as is volleyball star Brittanie Budinger.
Additional features of the structure include the court level “Bill Russell Room,” used for meetings and receptions and featuring additional mementos of the many USF legends from several sports. That room features the retired jerseys of the former USF basketball stars.
Basketball offices are also located upstairs, as are the Hall of Fame Plaques and honored team photos.
