The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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30 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Hall of Famer Kay Yow. Andrea Stinson scored 38 points against North Carolina in 1991. That same season, Yow's third- ranked Wolfpack faced second-ranked Vir- ginia in one of the greatest women's col- lege games ever played. A record 11,520 spectators were on hand for the triple-over- time thriller, which the Cavaliers won 123- 120, one of the many games in Reynolds history that fans never wanted to end. One of the greatest baskets ever scored was one that didn't count. At his final home game, after his No. 44 became the only retired jersey in school history, Thompson let loose on a breakaway and dunked the ball against UNC-Charlotte. But at that time dunking was not allowed in NCAA basketball, and Thompson was hit with a technical foul, much to the delight of the sellout crowd. "Reynolds was such a great place for us to play, because of the fan support we got there and how close they were to us on the court," Thompson said. "I'm really happy that I got to play there during my career, in front of those fans. "It's a special place." In 1993, with the school celebrating the 10th anniversary of its '83 championship, Wolfpack fans were able to say good-bye to a cancer-stricken Valvano, who was serving as the color commentator for ABC in a game against Duke. Valvano gave a better version of his famous "Don't Ever Give Up" speech, surrounded by his former players and the adoring fans who never wanted to see him leave. On Feb. 16, 2006, the NC State Board of Trustees approved naming the playing surface at Reynolds in honor of Yow, who had just returned to the court following her second fight against breast cancer. That night, she led her team to an upset of second-ranked North Carolina in front of a sold-out crowd. Three days later, NC State hosted the inaugural Hoops for Hope, a game dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research. The Future Of Reynolds The impetus for the current renovation — funded with $15 million from the uni- versity and $20 million from the athletics department — is to update the facilities for the programs that still compete there: wom- en's basketball, wrestling, volleyball and gymnastics. They are currently at a com- petitive disadvantage in outdated venues. "There are still teams competing there, and if we are serious about competing at the highest level across the board and hav- ing broad-based excellence for all of our programs, then today's tenants of Reynolds need a place to compete in and coaches need a place to recruit to that matches up with the other schools we are competing against," Lipitz said. "If you believe it has value, then the building is worth saving." The arena will change. The lobby will be gutted and extended. The court will be moved from the center of the building to the south end zone, with a full ring of seats and risers that will change the seating ca- pacity to about 5,500 spectators. About a quarter of the fold-down origi- nal seats will be removed from the upper level and sold as a fundraiser through the Wolfpack Club. For the first time in its existence, Reyn- olds will finally have air conditioning. All the windows, some of which tower three stories, will be replaced. A new roof will be installed and glass doors will separate the lobby and the court. The women's basket- ball and volleyball offices will be moved from the ground floor to the second level above the lobby, over what athletics director Debbie Yow has dubbed "The Grand Hall." And that's where all of the great history of NC State's athletics will be relived. The NC State Athletic Hall of Fame will be housed in the Grand Hall, with interac- tive displays featuring some of the greatest moments in Wolfpack history. NC State's history of innovation — such as integrat- ing ACC athletics in 1956 — will be high- lighted, as well as the forward-thinking innovators and special contributors who have woven the school's rich blanket of accomplishments. Each current varsity sport will have a display case on the upper concourse that will highlight its history and achievements, featuring artifacts that are now being col- lected, sorted and preserved. Sure, there will be trophies, awards and plaques, but it will also include memorabilia that was saved for years in the small confines of senior associate athletics director Frank Weedon's office. All the bathrooms will be updated and the east and west lobbies will be turned into gathering places and display cases that will give fans on game day, and others who may wander through the building, a lesson in the rich history of Wolfpack athletics. Importantly, Reynolds will no longer pale in its comparison to the sleek new Tal- ley Student Union, which is now reopened after a three-year renovation that upgraded the dining facilities, rebuilt the offices and added grand ballrooms and meeting spaces that are used daily by campus audiences. It will be a fitting front door for students and visitors who arrive at the transportation mall at the front of Talley and Reynolds. "Reynolds is an iconic building on our campus. It absolutely needs to be renovated so that we can use it well into the next generation of campus life." ■ NC State director of athletics Debbie Yow Some of the 11,020 spectators at the first game in Reynolds Coliseum had to avoid wet paint while watching the Wolfpack's 67-47 victory over Washington & Lee on Dec. 2, 1949. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS