Today’s student-athlete deserves a quality athletic experience. Roanoke College gives them a chance to reap the benefits of some of the finest athletic facilities at the Division III level. The availability of these facilities is a major component of that experience at Roanoke, which sets the programs apart from opposing institutions.
Not only do these facilities lure top level student-athletes to the school, but they provide the spark that often sets the Roanoke College athlete apart and above his opponent.
C. Homer Bast Center
The C. Homer Bast Center, located on campus, was built in 1982 and holds 2,000 fans. C. Homer Bast, who served the College as a professor, coach, administrator and counselor for 33 years, is who the building was named. The facility was made possible by a large gift from Nancy (’72) and John (’71) Mulheren Jr. The keynote speaker at the dedication was CBS basketball analyst Billy Packer.
The Bast Center features a state-of-the-art sound system and four official scorer’s tables along with a press box above the stands. It is a fan friendly facility, with a concession stand and trophy cases around the gym to honor the past including more of the same in the mezzanine. In 2002, the J.S. “Buddy” Hackman Hall of Fame Room was unveiled. This room, located next to the athletic offices, is where the college pays tribute to former standout athletes, coaches and administrators. It is also media friendly, with wireless access along with internet jacks for the purpose of radio and video streaming of all home contests. It also serves as the headquarters for the entire athletic and Health and Human Performance departments with two classrooms.
One of the finest Division III athletic facilities in the nation have been used other events for graduation, convocations and concerts. The classic hardwood floor gives Roanoke the best surface available for basketball and is versatile and large enough to provide the College’s recreation classes a first-class facility. The arena’s seating features 2,000 electronically-controlled portable bleacher seats, including 200 VIP chairback seats at floor level. The balcony above the bleachers is also a favorite viewing point for many spectators. The entire facility is air conditioned.
The first floor contains six team locker rooms, a fully-equipped training facility, equipment storage room, two staff locker rooms, four racquetball courts, laundry room and a large arena storage area. The second floor (balcony level) is the office level with the athletic and education department offices located here, along with two large classrooms.
Recent additions have been donated to the Bast Center. Roanoke Basketball Alum Morris Cregger ‘64 donated the brand new state-of-the-art scoreboard to the college in 2008. The scoreboard features a message board which is also used for pictures, animations, etc.
The facility is also the home of the Roanoke College volleyball team, which has hosted the 1984 and 1993 ODAC Volleyball Tournaments. The program, which was ODAC Runner-Ups in 1999 and 2001, has hosted the Maroon Classic annually since 2002 and has a home record of 167-94 (64%). They finished the program’s only undefeated season in 2002 (10-0).
Over the years, the Bast Center has hosted 22 NCAA tournament basketball games, including the men’s NCAA South-Midwest Sectional in 1996. The latest came during the 2001 season for the men’s basketball NCAA First Round contest vs. SCAD (W 70-62). The Maroons own a 12-4 post-season home record at the Bast Center.
The women’s basketball program has hosted the ODAC Quarterfinals from 1983-93 while the men have hosted seven (1982-85, 87-88, 93). The women have compiled a 247-56 record at the Bast Center since calling it home in 1982 and have the highest win percentage (81.5%) of the three teams that play here. They have had four undefeated seasons, with the latest coming in 1996-97 (11-0). The women have the longest win-streak at the Bast Center with three undefeated seasons in a row (31-0 from 1989-92) and a 38-game win streak from 1/27/89 to 1/26/93.
The Bast Center has been the sight of seven men’s NCAA Div. III Regional basketball tournaments in 1984, ’87, ’91, ’94, ’96, ’00 and ’01. The Maroons record in the Bast Center indicates the advantage of playing at home. In 28 seasons, the men’s basketball team is 293-85, with a winning percentage of .775. Last year, they won 10 of 12 games played on the court at the Bast Center and have hosted the season-opening V-Foundation Classic, which has been held every year since 1994.
Alumni Gym
Connected to Alumni Gym, the Bast Center contains an auxiliary basketball court, additional locker rooms, an indoor pool and an aerobics room. The Office of Student Affairs is located in a refurbished wing of Alumni Gym.
The Alumni Gym was the home to the Maroons men's basketball team for 55-straight seasons from 1911-66. After a 10-year stay at the Salem Civic Center, the Maroons came back to Alumni Gym from 1977-82. This facility was also the home to the women's basketball and volleyball teams until the Bast Center was built in 1982.
The Belk Fitness Center
There is no better place in Division III to shape and mold a body to get ready for the rigors of college athletics than the Belk Fitness Center. Built in 1997, it is a state-of-the-art facility designed with complete physical conditioning in mind. In addition to several free weight stations, the center contains a state-of-the-art BodyMasters strength training circuit (21 stations). For those looking for an aerobic workout, there are over 20 cardiovascular machines, including stationary bikes, stair machines, elliptical machines and treadmills.
The Belk Fitness Center, which was a $750,000 project, opened its doors in January of 1998. Recent additions to the fitness center have been equipment and machine upgrades with state-of-the-art treadmills, Stairmasters, five new elliptical machines. Also added to the center is several flat screen TV’s and a new sound system to create a more enjoyable workout experience.
The center, which was financed with money from the Belk Family of Charlotte, NC, contains over 50 pieces of strength training equipment, most of which comes from the Hammer Strength Company of Louisiana. The center’s weight training selection includes 21 free weight stations, five Hammer Strength stations, and two sets of Hampton dumbbells (ranging from three to 100 pounds). In the Belk Center are over 6,000 pounds of dumbbells from 3-100lbs. In addition to the strength equipment, there are also over 20 pieces of cardiovascular machines in Belk. Five treadmills, five Precor cross-trainers, eight stationary bikes, two Cybek hikers, five stairmasters, and a rowing machine makeup Belk’s cardiovascular lineup.
Donald J. Kerr Stadium
In the fall of 2006, the Roanoke College facilities took another giant step forward, with the addition of Donald J Kerr Stadium. Kerr Stadium is home to the men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, and the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs. With seating for 1,400 fans, Kerr Stadium features Field Turf and Lights for the best synthetic surface available. The lights are on six days per week until 10:00 pm, providing intercollegiate, intramural, club and recreational opportunities for all Roanoke College students.
With lights available, practices along with the fields on the Elizabeth Campus, the outdoor teams can be more flexible. Kerr Stadium is the new host for the NCAA Division II & III Women’s Lacrosse Championships. In only three years of existence, the field has been the host of 13 ODAC Tournament games, including three ODAC Championship and five NCAA Tournament games.
The women’s lacrosse team holds a 13-3 home record followed by the men’s team with a 16-5 mark. The men’s soccer team holds a 15-4-2 record at Kerr while the women post an 18-6-4 mark. Field Hockey has totaled three wins in two seasons on the turf.
The C. Homer Bast Track/Alumni Field Complex
The C. Homer Bast Track/Alumni Field Complex, located on the north side of campus, is the home to the college’s track & field program. The track, which meets all NCAA specifications, is a six-lane facility, with an eight-lane straightaway. Inside the oval features two long/triple jump runways, a pole vault runway and a steeplechase pit. Outside the oval, the hammer and discuss throw areas are contested north of the track. The shot put is held outside the oval at the south end, with a red crushed stone landing area. Adjoining the field are two practice facilities that are used throughout the year. Alumni Field recently saw the building of a new press box.
The addition of the turf facility has enabled the Roanoke cross country and track & field teams to better utilize alumni field, allowing the field hockey, lacrosse and soccer teams to have sole use of the facility. Each year the track & field team hosts an annual invitational that features up to 13 other teams. The program also hosted the 2003 ODAC outdoor championships on the new track. The track on Alumni Field went through a complete renovation in the summer of 2001. The project, which cost over $325,000, makes the facility one of the top in the South Region.
The Elizabeth Campus Complex
The Elizabeth Campus Complex features three playing fields. Two of the fields are surfaced with Bermuda Grass, while the third features Kentucky Blue Grass. The Elizabeth Campus Fields are used as a ‘training ground’ for our outdoor sport teams.
The City of Salem’s Kiwanis Field
Kiwanis Field, which is the home of the Roanoke baseball team since the program was restored in 2002, is located one mile from campus. The facility was the home of the City of Salem’s Single-A professional affiliate until the 1995 season. The field features an inning-by-inning scoreboard and can seat over 1,000 and hold up to 5,000 people. Nestled within the community, Kiwanis Field is a lighted facility which means the Maroons are able to play many of their games at night.
Memorial Stadium/Lewis Gale Field
The baseball team plays a few games each year at the City's ballpark, Salem Memorial Stadium/Lewis Gale Field which is located on the James Taliaferro Sports Complex. Home to the Boston Red Sox Single-A affiliate, the stadium is one of the top small fields in the nation.
The City of Salem’s James I. Moyer Complex
The City of Salem-built Moyer Sports Complex is the home of the Roanoke softball team. The field is about one mile from campus and in the early 1990s cost $10 million to build. The Complex has been the home of the Maroons softball team since its inception in 1997. The complex is not only home to the Maroons, but also to the NCAA Division II and III Softball Regional and National Tournaments. Recently, the facility has also hosted the Big East and Big South conference tournaments. The Maroons do benefit from the facility also hosting the ODAC Championship tournament as well.
Roanoke softball has won all seven of their league titles in the facility. The team has also hosted three NCAA Regional tournaments and played in the 2000 NCAA championship series at Moyer. The Moyer Sports Complex features four regulation-size softball fields, all of which are lit for play at night. The Maroons have posted a 152-28 home record at Moyer including a 20-win season in 2006 and three undefeated seasons.
The City of Salem’s Mowles Spring Park
The Roanoke cross country teams use Mowles Spring Park as their home course. With wide-open areas, the park is able to accommodate large meets and has the space available for the teams to alter the courses. The Maroons held their first home meet at Mowles Spring Park in the fall of 2006, after spending many year’s at the college’s Elizabeth Campus. Mowles Spring Park, which has a variety of terrain, is located about 12 minutes from the main campus.
Salem Civic Center
The Salem Civic Center is the former home-court of the Maroons (1967-77) and now annually hosts the ODAC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The men’s and women’s basketball teams have combined to win 23 ODAC titles in the Salem Civic Center since 1981. The two teams swept the titles during the 1983, ’84, ’86, ’87, ’94 and 2000 seasons. The facility also hosts the Division III men’s basketball national championship and has hosted the women’s volleyball and basketball national championships.
The men’s basketball program posted an overall record of 112-43 with a 1972 National Championship. In 1967-68, they went 12-0 in their only undefeated season in the SCC en route to the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament-berth. They won six Mason-Dixon Conference Titles and had six 20-win seasons during that span.
Hanging Rock Golf Course
T
he college’s golf team practices and plays its home tournaments at the Hanging Rock Golf Club, which is located just two miles from Roanoke’s main campus.
Overlooking the beautiful Roanoke Valley of Virginia, Hanging Rock Golf Club is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. The course, designed by Russell Breeden, offers a championship layout that guarantees golfers of all skill levels a challenging and exciting round.
Hanging Rock has earned numerous accolades, including:
- Voted "Best Golf Facility in the Roanoke Valley" by readers of The Roanoker Magazine from 1994-2006.
- Named one of the "Top 3 Courses in Virginia" by The Golfer’s Guide readers’ survey.
- Awarded a 3 1/2-star rating by Golf Digest’s "Best Places to Play 2002-2006."
- Named one of the top 100 Must Play Courses in the Mid-Atlantic by Washington Golf Monthly magazine
Tennis Courts
The Roanoke College Campus Courts are located behind Ritter Hall and across both Donald J. Kerr Stadium and Alumni Field/Bast Track. The facility was built in the spring of 2007 and holds eight outdoor tennis courts. The site is in the scenic view of the college, looking over Fort Lewis Mountain within the Shenandoah Mountain Range.
Since the spring of 2007, the Men hold a 13-9 match record. Their best season came in 2008, when the Maroons posted a 6-2 mark. In its first season on the new courts, Roanoke finished 5-3.
The women have a 14-7 home record since hosting matches back on campus. In 2007, Roanoke finished 6-3 which is the most home wins in its three-years at the RC Courts. The following year, the Maroons went undefeated in four matches. The women went 4-4 last season.