Welsh-Ryan Arena

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Welsh-Ryan Arena at McGaw Memorial Hall
Location	Ashland Ave Evanston, IL 60208
Opened	December 6, 1952
Owner	Northwestern Univ.
Operator	Northwestern Univ.
Former names
McGaw Memorial Hall (1952-83)
Tenants
Northwestern Wildcats (Basketball, Volleyball, Wrestling)
Capacity
8,117

Welsh-Ryan Arena 2006

Welsh-Ryan Arena is an 8,117-seat multi-purpose arena in Evanston, Illinois. The arena opened in 1952. It is home to the Northwestern University Wildcats basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams. It is located to the north of Ryan Field on the athletic campus, and also contains the stadium's field house. The arena hosted the 1956 NCAA Final Four. Patten Gymnasium, formerly located on the main campus at Northwestern, hosted the first NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1939 and was later torn down in order to build the Technological Institute in its place, which was completed in 1942. A smaller Patten Gymnasium was built to the north of the original site, which still stands and is mostly used for student recreation, intramural sports, and club sports.

McGaw Memorial Hall was named by benefactor Foster McGaw for his father, the Rev. Francis McGaw, a Presbyterian minister who had died in Kenya ten years prior. The arena itself was renamed following the 1982-83 renovations in honor of lead benefactor Patrick G. Ryan, president of the board of trustees, and his wife's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Welsh Sr.

Recently Welsh-Ryan Arena has had a major problem with opposing fans outdrawing Northwestern's fans. In 2007 alone during the Big Ten season Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana have had more fans at the stadium than Northwestern.

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Northwestern University

Academics	Judd A. and Marjorie Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences • School of Communication • School of Music • J. L. Kellogg School of Management • Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science • Medill School of Journalism • School of Education and Social Policy • Feinberg School of Medicine • School of Law
Athletics	Big Ten • Go U Northwestern • Northwestern Wildcats • NUMB • Ryan Field • Welsh-Ryan Arena • Wildside • Willie the Wildcat
Campus	Chicago • Evanston • The Lakefill • The Rock • Technological Institute
People	Alumni • Henry Bienen • Bill Carmody • John Evans • Faculty • Pat Fitzgerald • Frances Willard
Student Life	The Daily Northwestern • Dance Marathon • Dillo Day • Dolphin Show • History • Mee-Ow • NNN • Waa-Mu • WNUR

Current Basketball Arenas in the Big Ten

Assembly Hall (Illinois) • Assembly Hall (Indiana) • Breslin Student Events Center (Michigan State) • Bryce Jordan Center (Penn State) • Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa) • Crisler Arena (Michigan) • Kohl Center (Wisconsin) • Mackey Arena (Purdue) • Value City Arena (Ohio State) • Welsh-Ryan Arena (Northwestern) • Williams Arena (Minnesota)

Basketball Student Sections of the Big Ten
Barnyard, The (Minnesota) • Buckeye NutHouse (Ohio State) • Crimson Crew (Indiana) • Grateful Red (Wisconsin) • Hawk's Nest (Iowa) • Izzone (Michigan State) • Maize Rage (Michigan) • Nittwits (Penn State) • Orange Krush (Illinois) • Paint Crew (Purdue) • Wildside (Northwestern)