McCasland Field House
Encyclopedia
The McCasland Field House is a multi-purpose indoor arena on the University of Oklahoma
main campus in Norman, Oklahoma
. Home of the basketball
Sooners
until 1975, the Field House currently hosts the men's wrestling
, women's volleyball
, and men's and women's gymnastics
teams. The Field House is named for T. Howard McCasland, a two-sport star who was the captain of the 1916 basketball
team and an end for the football
team.
The facility opened with a basketball game between the Sooners and the University of Kansas
Jayhawks
on January 13, 1928, which the Sooners won 45-19. When it opened, the facility held over 5,000 people.
It is rather unknown, these days on campus, that the Fieldhouse once witnessed concerts by Jimi Hendrix
, Frank Sinatra
and Elvis Presley
in the 60's and 70's.
As the campus was constructed around the Field House, parking for fans disappeared and attendance at games dwindled as well. After the Lloyd Noble Center
opened in 1975 and the basketball teams moved south to the new facility, the Field House seemed forgotten and neglected.
Plans for refurbishment began in the 1990s along with other campus improvements, and fundraising began in earnest in September 1997. In 2005 the initial phase of a $6 million renovation project was completed, including the building's first-ever climate control system, refurbishment of the historic wood floor, new chair-back and retractable seats. The facility had to be completely rewired, not only to handle the new heating and air-conditioning systems (its first ever) and the new lighting and state-of-the-art sound and video systems, but to bring the building up to current electrical code standards
.
The next phase of renovations to the Field House, scheduled to be completed by 2012, include locker room upgrades, additions of restrooms and concessions, and expansion of the wrestling practice facility from its current 4500 square feet (418.1 m²) to more than 8000 square feet (743.2 m²). Finally, all of the building's windows, a distinguishing feature of the Field House, will be replaced, along with the roof.
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
main campus in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
. Home of the basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
until 1975, the Field House currently hosts the men's wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, women's 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...
, and men's and women's gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
teams. The Field House is named for T. Howard McCasland, a two-sport star who was the captain of the 1916 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...
team and an end for the football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team.
The facility opened with a basketball game between the Sooners and the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
on January 13, 1928, which the Sooners won 45-19. When it opened, the facility held over 5,000 people.
It is rather unknown, these days on campus, that the Fieldhouse once witnessed concerts by Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in the 60's and 70's.
As the campus was constructed around the Field House, parking for fans disappeared and attendance at games dwindled as well. After the Lloyd Noble Center
Lloyd Noble Center
The Lloyd Noble Center is an 11,528-seat multi-purpose arena, in Norman, Oklahoma, United States, some south of downtown Oklahoma City...
opened in 1975 and the basketball teams moved south to the new facility, the Field House seemed forgotten and neglected.
Plans for refurbishment began in the 1990s along with other campus improvements, and fundraising began in earnest in September 1997. In 2005 the initial phase of a $6 million renovation project was completed, including the building's first-ever climate control system, refurbishment of the historic wood floor, new chair-back and retractable seats. The facility had to be completely rewired, not only to handle the new heating and air-conditioning systems (its first ever) and the new lighting and state-of-the-art sound and video systems, but to bring the building up to current electrical code standards
National Electrical Code (US)
The National Electrical Code , or NFPA 70, is a regionally adoptable standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment...
.
The next phase of renovations to the Field House, scheduled to be completed by 2012, include locker room upgrades, additions of restrooms and concessions, and expansion of the wrestling practice facility from its current 4500 square feet (418.1 m²) to more than 8000 square feet (743.2 m²). Finally, all of the building's windows, a distinguishing feature of the Field House, will be replaced, along with the roof.