Ross Sports Center

HISTORY
The $2.2 million, 66,000-square-foot Vincent C. Ross Sports Center was dedicated on July 19, 1973, and hosted its inaugural event on Dec. 1, 1973, when the Purple Knight men's basketball team opposed Niagara University. Ground breaking of a building named for the former College trustee, whose gift funded the construction of the building, began on June 14, 1972.

HOME OF
Men's and Women's Basketball
Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving
Women's Volleyball

FAST FACTS
The gymnasium houses banners of the College's national and conference team and individual champions, men's basketball NCAA Tournament appearances, retired men's and women's basketball uniform numbers, in-state rivals, all members of the Northeast-10 Conference, as well as one honoring Niagara. With an entirely hardwood floor, the facility's varsity court runs east-west, while two full-length courts at each end - and a third running through the varsity court - are situated north-south.

Among the amenities in the gymnasium are wooden and plastic seating for 2,500 spectators, with the second-story balcony providing one of the most unique vantage points in the region. The College's new varsity weight room is located in the second-story space closest to Vermont 15 on the far side of the facility. The Ross Sports Center's natatorium has a six-lane swimming pool - the first on-campus pool ever at the College - a one-meter diving board, and a second-story viewing gallery. In addition to holding college meets and local age-group events, the swimming pool is available to faculty, students and staff throughout the year.

The Ross Sports Center includes locker rooms, an athletic training center and coaching offices, as well as a trophy case in the lobby detailing the history of Saint Michael's Athletics and feats of current student-athletes. The athletic training center was renamed the Zaf Bludevich Athletic Training Room in September 2014 in honor of Bludevich, the first athletic trainer in College history, who retired following 39 years as an Athletics employee in spring 2014. The Ross Sports Center is connected to the Tarrant Recreation Center, which was completed in 1994.

Prior to playing in the Ross Sports Center, men's basketball called Memorial Auditorium in Burlington home between 1947 and 1973. The Purple Knights had not had an on-campus home court since playing in Jeanmarie Hall - which housed the campus' first official gymnasium - from 1924 to 1947.