William L. White Auditorium, commonly known as White Auditorium, is a 5,000 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 ...

Emporia, Kansas Emporia is a city in and the county seat of Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of U.S. Route 50 with Interstates 335 ...

. It is home to the Emporia State University men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the volleyball team.

History

The Emporia Civic Auditorium's – as it was known from 1940 to 1973 – construction began to in December 1938. On May 6, 1940, the City of Emporia kicked off a five-day "Fiestaval" to celebrate its opening. In 1963, it was renamed to its current name, William L. White Auditorium, named after local

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

owner,

William Lindsay White William Lindsay White (June 17, 1900 – July 26, 1973) was an American journalist, foreign correspondent, and writer. He succeeded his father, William Allen White, as editor and publisher of the ''Emporia Gazette'' in 1944. Among White's most not ...

, who was also the son of

William Allen White William Allen White (February 10, 1868 – January 29, 1944) was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death, White became a spokesman for middle America. At a 1937 ...

. In December 1940, the Teachers College basketball team began playing their home games at the Auditorium, and in 1974 for the

Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball The Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball team represents Emporia State University and competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) of the NCAA Division II. On April 28, 2023, Brian Ostermann was announced as the eig ...

games have been played there as well. When the volleyball program was established in 1973, it began to play its home games in White Auditorium. The building also hosts the

Kansas State High School Activities Association The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) is the organization which oversees interscholastic competition in the U.S. state of Kansas at the high school, high-school level. It oversees both athletic and non-athletic competition, ...

state basketball tournament since 1955.

Upgrades

During the 1994–95 basketball season, the Auditorium was renovated and bleacher seating was added to the south end of the court, expanding the

seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available, and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...

from 3,700 to 5,000. In 2008, White Auditorium went under renovation. A new color scheme was painted throughout the building, new scoreboards were added, the basketball court was refinished, and new seats replaced the wooden seats in the upper Auditorium.

Slaymaker Court

On February 20, 2013, the Emporia City Commission voted to name the floor of White Auditorium, Coach Slay, Ron Slaymaker Court, named after longtime men's basketball coach and ESU's winningest coach. On February 28, 2013, one week later, during the halftime of the men's ESU-Washburn game, Ron Slaymaker, and his family, alongside ESU President Michael D. Shonrock, ESU Athletic Director Kent Weiser, and the Mayor of Emporia, Bobbi Mlynar, unveiled the design of Ron Slaymaker Court, debuting in the fall of 2013.

References

External links

* {{Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association basketball venue navbox Indoor arenas in Kansas College basketball venues in the United States Emporia State Hornets basketball venues Sports venues in Kansas Basketball venues in Kansas Buildings and structures in Lyon County, Kansas Emporia, Kansas