The Knapp Center is a 6,424-seat multi-purpose
arena on the campus of
Drake University in
Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1992.
The Knapp Center is the center building for three athletic buildings combined. The Bell Center to the west is a general athletic building with offices, a pool, gym, and locker rooms. To the east is the Shivers' Basketball Practice facility, which opened in 2014. The Knapp Center itself also holds a weight room by the northwest corner of the basketball court.
The namesake of the arena comes from William Knapp, who is the chairman of Iowa Realty and a member of the Drake University Board of Trustees. He played a key role in financing the arena with a $3 million gift towards construction.
[2011-12 Drake Men's Basketball Yearbook](_blank)
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After receiving a donation from Hy-Vee, the court was named in honor Drake alum and former Hy-Vee CEO Ron Pearson as "Ron Pearson Court" on September 18, 2010.[ https://www.draketix.com/knappcenterrenovation]
Events
The arena is the home arena for Drake Men's and Women's Basketball and Drake Women's Volleyball. The first Drake Bulldogs basketball game was played on December 5, 1992.
During a Missouri Valley Conference record 47 straight conference win streak spanning from 2016 to 2019, the Drake Bulldogs women's basketball team recorded a conference record 22 straight home conference wins during the span. Both records are second in NCAA women's history to UConn Huskies women's basketball
The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is the college basketball program representing the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They completed a seven-season tenure in the America ...
.
During the Drake Relays the arena hosts the Beautiful Bulldog Contest and serves as a media center for athlete interviews along with providing additional locker room and warm-up facilities for athletes.
Each May, in addition to Drake University commencement ceremonies the arena hosts numerous area high school graduation ceremonies.
The arena has also hosted media & campaign spin rooms during on-campus political debates and hosted various academic lectures, including lectures from Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...
, Tim Gunn
Timothy MacKenzie Gunn (born July 29, 1953) is an American author, academic, and television personality. He served on the faculty of Parsons School of Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to Mar ...
, as well as appearances by former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump.
Gallery
Image:Inside_the_Knapp_Center.JPG, Inside the Knapp Center
Image:Knapp Center 2010 3.JPG, Inside the Knapp Center during the Iowa vs Drake game on December 18, 2010
See also
* List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
References
External links
The Knapp Center - GoDrakeBulldogs.comDRAKE UNIVERSITY KNAPP CENTER - Shuck-Britson
College basketball venues in the United States
Sports in Des Moines, Iowa
Sports venues in Greater Des Moines
Basketball venues in Iowa
Drake Bulldogs men's basketball
Tourist attractions in Des Moines, Iowa
Buildings and structures in Des Moines, Iowa
Indoor arenas in Iowa
1992 establishments in Iowa
Sports venues completed in 1992
College volleyball venues in the United States
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