University Center

University Center or University Centre may refer to:

University Center (Southeastern Louisiana)

University Center is a 7,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hammond, Louisiana, United States, on the campus Southeastern Louisiana University. Often called "the UC" within the University, it was built in 1982 at a cost of $16.3 million.

It is home to Southeastern Louisiana University's Lions and Lady Lions basketball teams and Lady Lions volleyball team. It also hosts many other functions including Southeastern’s commencement, a variety of concerts and community events, circuses, and rodeos.

From 2001 through 2008, the arena hosted the girls basketball state championships tournament of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association; after a 1-year hiatus at a location on another campus, the tournament returned to Southeastern and to its University Center in 2010. The tournament is well received and supported in Hammond and Tangipahoa Parish, where girls basketball has been popular for many decades. Baylor coach Kim Mulkey starred at Hammond High School before a standout career at Louisiana Tech and as a member of the U.S. national team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Hawkins Arena

The Hawkins Arena is the basketball arena on the campus of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, United States. The arena is located in the University Center, a large multi-purpose facility centrally located on the university campus.

History

The University Center opened in 2004. The $40 million, 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m²) center, houses Mercer's athletics department, a 3,500-seat basketball arena, an indoor pool, work-out facilities, intramural basketball courts, offices, a food court, and numerous meeting facilities. Mercer's baseball and softball fields are located adjacent to the center along with the university's tennis complex and football-lacrosse complex Moye Complex.

The University Center replaced Porter Gym, which stood on the Mercer campus from 1937 to 2004; Porter Gym was located on the central quadrangle and was razed when the University Center opened. The center is also located on the central quadrangle on the site of the university's original fraternity row, which was razed after a new Greek Village opened. In 2007, a 101-room Hilton Garden Inn opened on university-owned land adjacent to the University Center. Parking lots are available for visitors-spectators arriving via the Mercer University Drive exit off of Interstate 75.