In celebration of March Madness, we continue Center Field’s tradition of MAAC Madness by looking at each school’s home basketball arena.
After seeding venues by capacity, the Center Field Staff will vote to ultimately pick a winner
MVP Arena (Siena)
MVP Arena has been the home of the Siena Saints’ men’s basketball team since 1997. The sheer size of the bowl has allowed it to host nine NIT games, four of them having 10,000+ people in attendance. An average of 6,368 spectators per game makes the home of the Saints one of the premier arenas not only in the MAAC but nationwide. It has even hosted the NCAA women’s basketball NCAA Tournament on four separate occasions
Located in downtown Albany, plenty of restaurant options and bars surround the unit that is MVP Arena, and it draws in crowds from Syracuse very often; the game with the most people in attendance was against the Orange, who were just one year removed from an NCAA Championship at the time.
Siena just scared the daylights out of Duke, and even though head coach Gerry McNamara departed for a new job at Syracuse, it could become a selling point to players in the portal and high schoolers looking to take their talents to the next level.
-Hayden Shapiro
M&T Bank Arena (Quinnipiac)
A dual sport arena, M&T Bank Arena in Hamden, Connecticut opened in 2007 and serves as the home for both the Quinnipiac University Bobcats men’s and women’s basketball teams and men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, seating 3,570 for basketball and 3,386 for hockey, with the two playing surfaces separated by a lobby and common area as part of the 185,000 square foot facility.
Historically, the Bobcats have seen success with both teams that call the arena home. Men’s basketball has competed in the MAAC Tournament every year since joining the conference in 2013-14 and has reached the semifinals five times. Women’s basketball appeared in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2017, and men’s hockey won the NCAA Tournament in 2023. Some memorable games at the arena include a men’s basketball 112-52 victory over CCNY on November 19, 2025, their second-largest victory as a DI school. Women’s basketball had its largest victory as a DI program at the arena as well, with a 113-64 win over Hartford on November 28, 2021.
For the Quinnipiac Bobcats, the arena not only serves as a place of athletic competition but also a mark of enduring success for various programs over the past two decades.
-Andrew Caruso
Leo D. Mahoney (Fairfield)
In November 2022, the Fairfield Stags unveiled their new home, Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The arena has a capacity of 3,500 and hosts Fairfield’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as its volleyball team. The arena cost $51 million to build and was fully funded by donors, giving it a modern look and feel. The name Leo D. Mahoney comes from a university trustee who made the largest donation in school history.
The arena spans 85,000 square feet and features a massive 360-degree jumbotron that hangs above center court. It also includes 360-degree ribbon boards that wrap around the arena. This has been a major improvement for Fairfield, as the team previously played its games in Bridgeport, making it difficult for students to attend.
The most notable moment in the arena’s young history came when Fairfield guard Deon Perry hit a miraculous 70-foot buzzer-beater to defeat the Marist Red Foxes on national television. With the arena still so new, you can expect many more memorable moments inside the home of the Fairfield Stags.
-Tommy Jacobellis
McCann Arena (Marist)
Poughkeepsie, New York, is home to McCann Arena, named after James J. McCann, the man whose foundation funded the stadium’s original construction in 1977. It has been hosting Marist Division I athletics since 1981, going through a major renovation in 1997 to bring us closer to the arena we have today.
Now, McCann Arena has a pool to host Marist’s water polo team, a brand-new basketball court that holds 3,200, freshly equipped with a new floor prior to this season. This is not Marist’s first time changing the floor.
There have been many historic moments at McCann Arena, starting with Rik Smits’ last college performance, where he put up 45 points, a Marist single-game points record to this day. In 2007, the men’s team closed out the season with a win over Saint Peter’s in front of a sold-out crowd in a game broadcast on ESPN2. They had their first sell-out since last season, in a win over Siena. Even more monumental, the women’s basketball team beat Saint Peter’s in the season closer in 2008 to get a perfect 18-0 record in the MAAC. The sports complex is complete with multiple practice courts, a turf area, a pool, a gym and a whole multimedia suite for the students and faculty.
-Max Moughan
Knott Arena (Mount St. Mary’s)
Knott Arena opened in 1987 and hosts Mount St. Mary’s men’s and women’s basketball games. The arena seats over 3,000, and the building also includes a concourse area, a field house, and an indoor pool. The court is named after Joe Phelan, who brought Mountaineers basketball to life, earning a school record 830 wins between 1954 and 2003. The arena creates an incredible atmosphere by seating fans as close as possible to the court.
Some of the arena’s most notable moments involve former Mountaineer Nana Opuku. His ability to fly through the air and finish at the rim always engaged the crowd. One of Okupu’s dunks on Jan. 20, 2020, was number one on SportsCenter’s top 10. Okupu now plays overseas with the Argentina La Liga Obras. In 2010, Knott Arena played a crucial role in propelling the women’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament after the squad’s 60-42 win over Bryant. The Mountaineers joined the MAAC in 2022 after ending their 33-year partnership with the NEC, meaning Knott Arena is just beginning to establish itself within the conference.
-Nate Shoemaker
James P. Hynes Athletics Center (Iona)
Since 1974, the James P. Hynes Athletic Center has been the home of Iona basketball. It has a capacity of 2,578 people, and houses the men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as Iona’s volleyball team. From 1974 until 2005, it was known as the Mulcahy Center, before changing the name in 2005 to honor entrepreneur and Iona graduate James P. Hynes.
Iona was one of four founding members of the MAAC to have never left, contributing to their record 14 MAAC titles, most recently in 2023 under iconic head coach Rick Pitino. In the summer of 2019, the Hynes Center received $6.5 million from Iona for renovations.
Those renovations included additional seating, improved lighting and sound systems, and a brand new playing surface. One of the biggest games in Hynes Center history came in Iona’s 2021 home opener. It was the first Iona home basketball game after COVID, against defending Ivy League regular-season champion Harvard. Iona pulled out a 90-87 overtime win, as Harvard missed a game-tying three at the buzzer.
-John Forte
Gallagher Center (Niagara)
In the small town of Lewiston, NY, lies the Gallagher Center, the basketball arena of the Niagara Purple Eagles men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Lewiston is in Niagara County, part of the Buffalo Metropolitan area, which Niagara shares with fellow MAAC foe Canisius.
The Gallagher Center originally opened in 1949, when it was known as the Niagara University Student Center. It holds 2,400 people.
It was renamed in honor of former head coach John J. “Taps” Gallagher in 1982. Gallagher compiled a record of 486-262 while coaching the Purple Eagles from 1931 to 1943 and from 1946 to 1965. He led Niagara to seven NIT appearances.
The court is named Layden Court in honor of former coach Frank Layden. He coached the team from 1968 to 1976, where he led the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1970. Niagara has gone on to appear in two more NCAA tournaments, in 2005 and 2007.
-Jack Tomasi
Draddy Gymnasium (Manhattan)
Located in the Bronx, New York, is Draddy Gymnasium, which is home to the Manhattan University Jaspers, hosts the men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams, and also features a 200-meter indoor track.
Established in 1978, the arena has a capacity of 2,345 people and is the 5th smallest arena out of all of the MAAC arenas. Draddy Gymnasium was named after Vincent dePaul Draddy, who was a quarterback at Manhattan and was later the chairman of the College Football Hall of Fame. The arena underwent renovations in 2017, which included a complete revamp of the main court and arena.
Prior to this, improvements to the weight room and fitness center were completed in 2011. Manhattan men’s basketball has an overall record of 249-180 (.580), and the women’s basketball has an overall record of 615-714 (.463). Draddy Gymnasium doesn’t bring a great amount of success to the MAAC, considering their overall records, and that they’re usually towards the bottom of the MAAC standings.
Draddy Gymnasium’s most intense and biggest game was an overtime loss to rival Iona University, where the final score was 70-67, and this game showcased the arena’s atmosphere for such a small gym, capacity-wise.
-Ally Schmitz
Koessler Athletic Center (Canisius)
Named after J. Walter Koessler, a former varsity basketball captain, football player and Class of 1972 graduate from Canisius University, The Koessler Athletic Center (KAC) serves as the home for the Golden Griffins men’s and women’s basketball teams. Located on the Canisius campus in Buffalo, New York, the KAC opened in 1968 but underwent a series of renovations in 2002, including the addition of 1,100 chair-back seats, bringing the total capacity to 2,196.
The second smallest arena capacity in the MAAC. Since 2010, Canisius men’s basketball has held a record of 120-105 (.533) at the KAC. During the 2025-26 season, they posted a 7-8 record at home as opposed to their abysmal 3-13 record on the road. This facility also hosts local high school games, intramural events and the university’s graduation ceremonies. From 2009 to 2010, the arena was home to the Buffalo Stampede of the Premier Basketball League. More than fifty years after its opening, the Koessler Athletic Center remains an intimate home court setting for both the Canisius men’s and women’s basketball teams and the greater Canisius community.
-Ben Rossi
William H. Pitt Center (Sacred Heart)
The William H. Pitt Center is the home to Sacred Heart Pioneers basketball teams and has been since it opened in 1997. William H. Pitt Center seats just over 2,000 fans, with the seating close to the floor all around the arena, giving a very intimate atmosphere for the Pioneers. Over the years, it has hosted major events, including the Northeast Conference championship games.
More recently, in 2024, after Sacred Heart moved to the MAAC, the center underwent major renovations. This included a brand new court layout, which brought seating closer to the floor, and also introduced premium features such as an 80-foot jumbotron, additional video boards around the arena, upgraded lighting, and even VIP seating areas.
The most memorable moment in the William H. Pitt Center was back during the 2008 Northeast Conference men’s basketball championship, where they set the attendance record of 2,774 fans, which made a 2,000-seat arena feel much bigger.
-JJ Garcia
Run Baby Run Arena (Saint Peter’s)
Run Baby Run Arena, home to the Saint Peter’s Peacocks in Jersey City, New Jersey, brings a new energy to the facility despite its 1,800-seat capacity. The small Jesuit college received a generous $5 million donation from the former LapCorp CEO, Thomas P. Mac Mahon, back in 2020 to revamp the arena and bring new energy to the athletic teams. The arena is located within the Victor R. Yanitelli, S.J., Recreational Life Center, with floor-to-ceiling seating on both sides of the court covered in the Peacocks’ signature shade of blue, with banners and large video scoreboards covering the walls. The new facility, while small in comparison to other collegiate facilities in the New Jersey area, is one filled with history and support from the athletic community and beyond.
The inspiration behind the Run Baby Run Arena name stemmed from the men’s basketball NIT quarter-final game 50 years ago, where Saint Peter’s defeated Duke in an upset that solidified their historic season. The 1967-68 team, with Mac Mahon as the starting guard, averaged 94 points per game and had one of the most memorable wins up until the Peacocks’ magical 2022 Elite run to the Elite Eight. The momentum the program has been developing, and the investments in the program, are pivotal to the Peacocks’ continued success.
-Sierra Fisher
Alumni Gymnasium (Rider)
Located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Alumni Gymnasium hosts Rider’s basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams, seating up to 1,650 spectators. Alumni Gymnasium is the oldest building on campus, and was built in 1958. The first event in Alumni Gymnasium was the 1958 commencement, and the first-ever basketball game held there was a men’s basketball win against the Seton Hall Pirates. Since then, it has had some renovations, including modern air and heating units, a drop ceiling, sound systems, and Rider Broncs’ branding.
Men’s basketball’s best year in Alumni Gymnasium was the 1970-71 season, where they went 20-6. The women’s team’s best year was in 2017 when the Broncs made one of two NCAA tournament appearances in program history with a 16-4 record. The most notable player to hit the court at Alumni Gymnasium was Jason Thompson, from 2004-08, who averaged 20.4 points and 12.1 rebounds.
Thompson was drafted 12th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2008 and spent his NBA career with the Kings, Warriors and Raptors before playing overseas. His number one is retired by the university alongside Darrick Suber, the first Bronc to score 2,000 points, and Rider’s all-time scoring leader, Stella Johnson, who both wore the number four.
-Kayleigh LaPointe
Volpe Athletic Center (Merrimack)
Volpe Athletic Center is the host to Hammel Court, the primary home of one of the latest additions to the MAAC basketball ranks: the Merrimack Warriors. Named for Bert Hammel, the accomplished 36-year head coach of the program, the defending MAAC Men’s Basketball regular season champions’ home turf holds a dedicated student section. The arena only carries a capacity of 1,200, but the arena reverberates with energy despite its size.
The experience of what is consistently described as one of the most electric atmospheres in the conference is complete with marching band performances and a dedicated student section to add to a high school-collegiate hybrid feel.
Starting in the 2021-22 season, a new court was brought into the fray, needing no such size distinction. Located across the Volpe Center and past the pro shop and a franchise Dunkin’ Donuts location, Lawler Arena is home to Merrimack athletics’ crown jewel, the Hockey East Champion skater squad. Sporting multiple suites and another full student section, the rink has the ability to change configuration, sporting six drop-down basketball hoops as well as a batting cage while increasing the seating capacity from 2,549 to 3,000.
The ice was dedicated in 2002 to the late head coach John Thomas Lawler, who led the team to its first national title in 1978. Funding from Susanna Gallant and the New York Islanders allowed for more renovations to the facility, adding in the luxurious Gallant Pavilion, updating the seating and implementing a new press area in the stands. Another update in 2022 brought an impressive jumbotron into the fold, increasing an already strong home court advantage for stadium specials. Last season, the court hosted matchups for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, including rivalry matchups and the double overtime victory that would clinch the men the top seed in Atlantic City.
-Dave Troeger
Edited by Ben Leeds
Graphic by Quinn DiFiore
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