Canale Arena
Encyclopedia
Canale Arena is the on-campus athletic facility for Christian Brothers University
in Memphis
, Tennessee
.
and Lady Buccaneer basketball
and volleyball
teams.
The Buccaneer basketball team was the Gulf South Conference
champion in 2008.
in the city of Memphis.
, the founder of the Christian Brothers
. The Lasallian Christian Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious order
, founded Christian Brothers University in 1871.
When the facility was reopened and blessed on December 10, 2004, it was renamed in honor of John D. Canale, Jr. Memphis businessman John D. Canale, Jr. served on the university's board of trustees from 1970 to 1983 and received the university's prestigious Maurelian Medal in 1994 for his support of and service to the university. Canale's history of contribution to the university includes raising funds in 1949 to build De La Salle Gymnasium. Additionally, Canale donated the funding to build the John Canale Pool on campus in 1986. The pool was named in honor of Canale's father, John D. Canale, Sr., a lifelong supporter of the Christian Brothers and valedictorian
of the Christian Brothers College class of 1891.
Christian Brothers University
Christian Brothers University is the oldest collegiate degree-granting institution in the city of Memphis. The university is run by the Christian Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious order founded by St. John Baptist de la Salle, the patron saint of teachers...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Buccaneers
Canale Arena is home to the BuccaneerBuccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
and Lady Buccaneer basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
teams.
The Buccaneer basketball team was the Gulf South Conference
Gulf South Conference
The Gulf South Conference is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
champion in 2008.
Origin
The original structure was completed in 1950. At that time, it was the largest indoor arenaArena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in the city of Memphis.
Renovation
The arena was fully renovated in 2004. Among renovations were the addition of new stadium seating, bleachers, a hospitality suite, a Hall of Fame conference room, restrooms, a lobby, and Canale Cafe. The arena has a stated capacity of 1,000.Namesake
The athletic facility was originally named De La Salle Gymnasium in honor of St. John Baptist de la SalleJean-Baptiste de La Salle
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle or John Baptist de La Salle was a priest, educational reformer, and founder of Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools...
, the founder of the Christian Brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
. The Lasallian Christian Brothers, a Roman Catholic religious order
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
, founded Christian Brothers University in 1871.
When the facility was reopened and blessed on December 10, 2004, it was renamed in honor of John D. Canale, Jr. Memphis businessman John D. Canale, Jr. served on the university's board of trustees from 1970 to 1983 and received the university's prestigious Maurelian Medal in 1994 for his support of and service to the university. Canale's history of contribution to the university includes raising funds in 1949 to build De La Salle Gymnasium. Additionally, Canale donated the funding to build the John Canale Pool on campus in 1986. The pool was named in honor of Canale's father, John D. Canale, Sr., a lifelong supporter of the Christian Brothers and valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of the Christian Brothers College class of 1891.