![DU Daskalakis Athletic Center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/DU_Daskalakis_Athletic_Center.jpg)
Daskalakis Athletic Center (DAC) is a athletic and recreational facility in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
The facility is best known for its 2,509-seat multi-purpose
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
that is home to multiple
Drexel University Dragons sports teams including
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
and
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
. While the entire recreation center, including the multi-purpose arena, gym,
natatorium
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...
, rock climbing wall, and squash canter are located in the athletic center, the "DAC" generally refers solely to the multi-purpose arena.
When originally opened in 1975 as the Physical Education Center, sometimes just referred to as the "New Gym," the facility included grandstands that sat a capacity of 1,800, and was expandable to 2,700 seats with temporary bleachers.
In January 2005, the basketball court was named Cozen Court after being dedicated to former Drexel men's basketball head coach Sam Cozen.
At the 2006 convocation
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, S ...
president
Constantine Papadakis
Constantine Papadakis (February 2, 1946 – April 5, 2009) was a Greek-American businessman and the president of Drexel University.
Academic career
Papadakis received his diploma in Civil engineering from the National Technical University of ...
announced a , three-story addition to the existing Daskalakis Athletic Center. The project, which expanded to an addition, broke ground in June 2008. Construction finished in December 2009 and parts of the building opened to students in January 2010. The Drexel Recreational Center officially opened in February 2010.
Notable events
Basketball
The DAC hosted games in all or part of the 1993–1996
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I founded in 1979, whose members are located in the Northeastern United States.
The conference has nine core members including eight public research u ...
men's basketball tournaments, the 2005
NIT Season Tip-Off
The NIT Season Tip-Off is an annual college basketball tournament that takes place in November of each year, toward the beginning of the season. The first two rounds are held at campus sites, while the semifinals and the finals are held during the ...
, and the
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
and
2012 National Invitation Tournament
The 2012 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2012 NCAA tournament. The annual tournament began on March 13 on campus sites and ended on Marc ...
. In 2013, the DAC hosted four games of the
2013 Women's NIT, with the Dragons defeating
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
46-43 in the final to win the tournament.
The DAC was built in 1974 as the Physical Education and Athletic Center (PEAC)
and was renamed in 2001 after a gift from former Drexel Lacrosse player John A. Daskalakis ('63).
The Daskalakis Athletic Center hosted the
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
and
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball tournament
The Coastal Athletic Association women's basketball tournament (formerly known as the Colonial Athletic Association) has been held every year since 1984. The winner receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Champi ...
, and will again host the tournament in
2024
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1928 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
***''Steamboat Willie'', Walt Disney's fi ...
.
In 2023, the DAC will host the
The Basketball Tournament 2023
The Basketball Tournament 2023 was the tenth edition of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a 5-on-5, single elimination basketball tournament with a $1 million winner-take-all prize. The tournament, involving 64 teams, began on July 19 and ended on ...
semifinals and championship.
Concerts
Midnight Madness
The annual Midnight Madness event was held in the arena before the basketball season begins. The event was similar to those at other universities, as it serves as a pep rally for the entire men's and women's basketball seasons. During the event, the lineups for the teams are announced, and the annual DAC Pack T-shirt design was also released. Since 2011, a concert was also held as a closing to the event. The 2013 event which featured
Childish Gambino
Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glove ...
held an attendance of over 2,200. In 2014 the event was replaced with the Drexel Fall Fest.
*2013:
Childish Gambino
Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glove ...
*2012:
Dev and
Chiddy Bang
Chidera Anamege, now known by his stage name Chiddy Bang, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to its breakup, Chiddy Bang was an American hip hop duo consisting of Anamege, under the stage name Chiddy, and Noah Beresin, ...
*2011:
Chiddy Bang
Chidera Anamege, now known by his stage name Chiddy Bang, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to its breakup, Chiddy Bang was an American hip hop duo consisting of Anamege, under the stage name Chiddy, and Noah Beresin, ...
Spring Jam
The annual Spring Jam concert, which is organized by the Drexel CAB, is generally held during the spring semester. The Spring Jam was performed at the DAC in 2006 before it was relocated to the
Drexel Armory
32nd St. and Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia Armory, also known as the 32nd Street Armory or Drexel Armory, is a historic National Guard armory and multipurpose venue located in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Main en ...
in 2007. Previously, the annual event was held in other areas including the Drexel Academic Quad, and Buckley Green. In 2011, it was relocated again to Lot F, an open parking area on Drexel's campus between Main Building and 31st Street. The headlining acts of the Spring Jam concerts performed at the Daskalakis Athletic Center have included:
*2006:
New Found Glory
New Found Glory (formerly A New Found Glory) is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of Jordan Pundik (lead vocals), Ian Grushka (bass guitar), Chad Gilbert (lead guitar, backing vocal ...
,
My American Heart
My American Heart is an American rock band from San Diego, California, formed in 2001. Originally named No Way Out, the band released two studio albums through Warcon Enterprises and toured the world before disbanding in late 2009. They reunited ...
, Ernest Goodlife Band
Homecoming Concert
*January 23, 1997:
Rusted Root
Rusted Root is an American worldbeat rock band formed in 1990 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by singer-guitarist Michael Glabicki (born January 21, 1971), bassist Patrick Norman and percussionist Liz Berlin. The band got its start as the house ba ...
,
Geggy Tah
Geggy Tah is a band initially composed of writer/singer Tommy Jordan and keyboard/guitarist Greg Kurstin. Each of them has a younger sister who was unable to pronounce her brother's name when very young; "Geggy" and "Tah" were the baby girls' mis ...
Fall Concert
Previous to the Drexel Campus Activities Board hosting the Spring Jam, their annual concert was in the Fall
*November 19, 1997:
The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers is an American rock solo project of American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jakob Dylan. The Wallflowers were originally a roots rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1989 by Dylan and guitarist Tobi Miller. The band h ...
*1996: No concert
*November 18, 1995:
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio (vocals & guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar & vocals), and Dennis Diken (drums & ...
,
Ocean Blue
Winter Concert
*February, 1978:
The J. Geils Band
The J. Geils Band was an American rock band formed in 1967, in Worcester, Massachusetts, under the leadership of guitarist John "J." Geils. The original band members included vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica and saxophone player Richard "Magic ...
, Kenn Kweder and The Secret Kids
Other Concerts
*May 3, 1993:
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...
,
Zap Mama
Zap Mama is the music act of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Zap Mama sings polyphonic and afro-pop music, a harmonic music with a mixture of infused African vocal techniques, urban, hip hop with emphasis on voice. The worldwide success of Zap Mam ...
*February 27, 1993:
Velocity Girl
Velocity Girl was an American indie rock band formed in 1989 in College Park, Maryland, and active in the Washington, D.C., area. The band released three albums before splitting up in 1996.
History
The band started as the duo of Kelly Riles ...
, Low Road,
Nasty Nas
*March 4, 1978:
The J. Geils Band
The J. Geils Band was an American rock band formed in 1967, in Worcester, Massachusetts, under the leadership of guitarist John "J." Geils. The original band members included vocalist Peter Wolf, harmonica and saxophone player Richard "Magic ...
, Ken Kweder and the Secret Kidds
Squash
From 2011 through 2019, the annual
US Open of Squash was held in the arena.
Table Tennis
In 2008, the DAC hosted the 2008 U.S. Olympic & National Table Tennis Team Trials. The event reached a capacity crowd of 2,000.
Tennis
The DAC hosted the
World Team Tennis
World TeamTennis (WTT) is a mixed-gender professional tennis league played with a team format in the United States, which was founded in 1973.
The league's season normally takes place in the summer months. Players from the ATP and WTA take a ...
Championship match between the
Philadelphia Freedoms
The Philadelphia Freedoms is a tennis team currently competing in World TeamTennis.
Overview
The team traces its origins to WTT's inaugural season, in 1974. The Philadelphia Freedoms (1974), original team starred tennis legend and social pi ...
and
Springfield Lasers
The Springfield Lasers are a World TeamTennis franchise. The franchise was purchased and donated to the city of Springfield, Missouri by the Cooper family in 1996. They play their home matches at Cooper Tennis Complex, Mediacom Stadium at Cooper ...
on August, 5th 2018.
Arena Renovations
2012–2016
Over the span of multiple years, a staggered renovation took place in the main gym of the recreation center. The renovations took place during the basketball offseason each year (during Spring and Summer months) as to not interfere with the men's or women's basketball seasons.
2012
After a $3 million gift in support of Drexel athletics from John A. Daskalakis, renovations began in 2012 at the Daskalakis Athletic Center among other athletic facilities. The renovations completed in the first year of the upgrade were:
*Major renovation to the home locker room
*A Drexel athletics hall of fame display
2013
In the Summer of 2013, more renovations continued in the main gym including:
*A large portion of the bleachers located on the West side of the gym were replaced with cushioned chair-back seating. This included VIP chair-back seating in the first row.
*A small number of additional bleacher seats was added in the Southwest corner
2014
In March 2014, more renovations totaling $7.7M were approved and include:
*Chair-back and VIP seating to replace the East bleachers, similar to the West bleacher renovation that occurred the previous offseason
*New South bleacher, 28 rows in height and approximately 1,000 seats, to hold the
DAC Pack and pep band. (Previously, the DAC Pack was primarily located at the East bleachers)
*Several additional bathrooms, meeting space, a conference/reception area, and basket storage located in the Southwest corner behind the seating
*New visitor
locker room
A locker is a small, usually narrow storage compartment. They are commonly found in dedicated cabinets, very often in large numbers, in various public places such as locker rooms, workplaces, elementary schools, middle and high schools, trans ...
, located in the Northwest corner
The addition of floor 'pro-style' baskets was also investigated by the design team. Following their investigation, a decision was made to not implement the floor baskets because they found that the South bleachers would have to be moved back nine feet further from the basketball court, and also that floor baskets generally cause an obstructed view for any fans seated behind the basket. Because of this, the DAC will continue to use its swing-down style baskets.
2015
Phase 4 of the Daskalakis Athletic Center renovation, completed in October 2015 included:
*New north-end seating, reducing the capacity to 2,509 from 2,532.
*Improved concessions
2016
Phases 5 and 6 of the renovation began in May 2016 and were completed in September 2016. Phase 5 of the renovation involved additions to the basketball court level and includes the addition of bathrooms, offices, ticket booth, conference room, storage rooms, and an audio/visual room for television broadcasts. Phase 6 included installing an air conditioning system in the arena.
2022
On May 31, 2022, Drexel announced that construction was underway to add an LED video scoreboard, sound system, LED lighting, and an upgraded video production studio to the arena.
See also
*
List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
32nd St. and Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia Armory
References
External links
Drexel Dragons - Daskalakis Athletic Center
{{Colonial Athletic Association basketball venue navbox
College basketball venues in the United States
Drexel Dragons men's basketball
Drexel University
Sports venues in Philadelphia
Basketball venues in Pennsylvania
Squash venues in the United States
Wrestling venues in Pennsylvania
University City, Philadelphia
1975 establishments in Pennsylvania