University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

 
Health and Sports Center

Address: 2501 15th Avenue Kearney, NE 68849
Seating Capacity: 5,100
Opened: 1990
 


Home to the Lopers for 34 years, the Health and Sports Center at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is regarded as one of the best venues not only in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, but all of Division II. The near 400,000-square-foot facility is located in the heart of the UNK campus and serves as a crossroads connecting the east to the west.
 
Attached to the Cushing Coliseum, the Health and Sports Center was completed in 1990 at a cost of $10.8 million. Home to the UNK volleyball, wrestling and men’s and women’s basketball teams, the 5,100-seat arena is one of the largest venues in the MIAA.
 
Recently, the Health and Sports Center underwent a series of renovations, which provided a much-needed spark for the facility with the most notable update being the removal of bleachers and the addition of chair back seats to the arena’s lower bowl. Among the other renovations were top-of-the-line remodeled locker rooms for football, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball. All of the coaches’ and administrative offices were spruced up, too, with each office receiving new carpet, paint and furniture. The two main suites, ones for football and administration, were also remodeled. When athletes, faculty and staff walk into the athletic department’s main offices they will also see a new light-up Loper head on the wall overlooking the area. This Loper head is a part of the increased presence in UNK’s graphics and visibility inside the facility.
 
In 2015, the court was christened as the Buckle Court for the company’s continued support of UNK Athletics.
 
Throughout the main corridor of the facility, graphics, telling the university’s history through sports, line the walls. Teams of distinction are also recognized in this hallway. On the way to the Zikmund Conference Room, named in recognition of former UNK head football coach and athletic director Al Zikmund, UNK’s national athletes of the year are highlighted. In addition to recognizing the careers of these athletes, there are new display boards honoring the senior student-athletes of the year.
 
The "Dick Collins Equipment Room" has also been updated to accommodate the influx of gear and apparel that has come in as a result of UNK’s recent deal with Under Armour. The most notable update to the equipment room is a new, state-of-the-art Spacesaver storage system.

More recently, a new videoboard was hung at the center of the arena along with new small boards in the corners of the court.