50 Great Wins From 50 Years in the WVU Coliseum
A vast majority of the 50 greatest wins in WVU Coliseum history have occurred over the last 15 years...
1969-70
The WVU Coliseum was built at a cost of $10.4 million.
The 14,000-seat concrete structure was officially christened on Dec. 1, 1970, a 113-92 Mountaineer victory over Colgate. Guard Levi Phillips scored the first basket in Coliseum history.
September 19, 1970
A rock concert featuring Grand Funk Railroad on Sept. 19 was the first-ever event inside the WVU Coliseum.
1971
The WVU Coliseum received the “Outstanding Concrete Structure of the Year” award, presented by the American Concrete Institute.
1975
In 1975, West Virginia became a member of the 39-team Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) that was divided into four different districts. This setup lasted for two years until West Virginia joined the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League, which later became the Eastern 8 and then the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1983.
March 29, 1978
The winningest coach in WVU history and former Mountaineer cager Gale Catlett was introduced on March 29, 1978 as the school’s 19th basketball coach.
February 24, 1982
The largest crowd to ever witness an indoor sporting event in West Virginia took place on Feb. 24, 1982 when 16,704 watched West Virginia defeat Pitt 82-77 at the WVU Coliseum.
February 27, 1983
On Feb. 27, 1983, UNLV was the first No. 1-ranked basketball team to make an appearance at the WVU Coliseum.
Summer 1990
The WVU Coliseum received its first court redesign.
1994-95
The invitation to the BIG EAST would have a profound impact on the entire West Virginia University athletic department. Immediately, it enhanced West Virginia’s image nationally.
The Mountaineers played their first-ever BIG EAST game on Dec. 2, 1995 at the WVU Coliseum against Georgetown underneath a new $1.6 million Daktronics scoreboard, replacing the facility’s original 25-year-old scoreboard.
1990-00
The Mountaineers were forced to play all of their games on the road because of asbestos abatement in the WVU Coliseum. A third court redesign was completed when the facility reopened.
February 21, 2004
On Feb. 21, 2004, the school celebrated its 100th year of basketball that night inside the WVU Coliseum against Pitt by wearing 1959 throwback uniforms.
Summer 2004
The first major renovation to the facility took place this year with upgrades to roof, locker rooms and the addition of a player lounge, team theater, club area and expansion of the weight room and athletic training facility.
November 26, 2005
WVU officially retired Jerry West’s No. 44 jersey at halftime of the WVU-LSU game on Nov. 26, 2005. It was the first basketball jersey retired from competition.
February 17, 2007
Jerry West statue dedicated outside the WVU Coliseum Blue Gate.
2007-08
Bob Huggins, a Morgantown native and West Virginia alumnus, returned home to the Mountaineer basketball program and led WVU to the NCAA Sweet 16 in his first season – the first Mountaineer coach to ever do so.
Summer 2008
The first-ever LED videoboard debuted inside the Coliseum with a fourth court redesign.
January 23, 2010
WVU officially retired Hot Rod Hundley’s No. 33 jersey at halftime of the Ohio State game at the WVU Coliseum on Jan. 23, 2010. It was the second basketball jersey to be retired from competition.
January 5, 2013
The Mountaineers played their first-ever Big 12 game on Jan. 5, 2013 at the WVU Coliseum against Oklahoma.
2016
Hot Rod Hundley statue dedicated outside the WVU Coliseum Blue Gate.
That same year a new marquee was constructed along the intersection of Monongahela Boulevard and Gale Catlett Drive.
2016-17
Bob Huggins became the 10th coach in NCAA Division I history to win 800 games when the Mountaineers defeated UMKC on Dec. 17, 2016 inside the WVU Coliseum.
Huggins led the Mountaineers to 28 victories, the third most in school history, and another NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Finishing second in the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament for the second year in a row, WVU became the first team since 2011-12 to beat an AP No. 1 (Baylor) and USA Today No. 1 (Kansas) in the same season.
2017
A completely renovated WVU Coliseum concourse, restroom, concession area and new locker room with a price tag of $20 million debuted.
2019
A fifth court redesign featured a return of the state outline and blue as the dominant color scheme.
2020
WVU officially retired Rod Thorn’s No. 44 jersey at halftime of the Oklahoma game at the WVU Coliseum on Feb. 29, 2020. It was the third basketball jersey to be retired from competition.
Fall 2020
The WVU Coliseum turns 50 years old this fall and will receive 14,000 new blue seats, upgraded lighting and sound system and high-definition video board
