4 / 148
C A S S E L L
C O L I S E U M
For more than a half a century, Cassell Coliseum has provided Virginia
Tech with one of the greatest home courts in all of college basketball.
Winning has been the norm in the facility since its opening in 1961.
Cassell is perhaps even more exciting today than ever in its history.
A facility long known for one of the great home-court advantages in
college basketball, “The Cassell” now gives Tech opponents one of
the most difficult environments in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
In 2015, a new, exciting chapter for the venerable arena was begun,
as the floor at Cassell Coliseum was renamed the Virginia Tech
Carilion Court in recognition of a generous sponsorship of Virginia
Tech athletics that will be used to fund scholarships and strategic
initiatives, as well as to support public-health awareness.
The 2006-07 season witnessed many outstanding games, but two
contests will rank among the most memorable in school history. On
Jan. 13, 2007, the Hokies defeated top-ranked North Carolina, 94-
88, in front of another full house in the Cassell. And just eight days
later, the Hokies downed #22 Maryland, 67-64, in overtime. That
game was played in front of 8,500 fans, mostly students, who braved
an ice storm to make Cassell Coliseum the tough home court that it
has come to be.
Since opening, the Coliseum has attracted more than five million
fans for men’s basketball. Tech finished sixth nationally in Division I in
increased attendance during the 2003-04 season, drawing 95,136
for the season —about one-third more than the season before.
And Hokie fans improved upon that. Virginia Tech led the nation in
increased attendance during the 2004-05 season, averaging 9,406
per game — the largest average attendance in Cassell Coliseum
history. That record was broken again in 2005-06, as the Hokies
averaged 9,764 per game and once again in the 2006-07 season,
at 9,822 per game.
Cassell Coliseum is constantly undergoing improvements. Sixteen
years ago, new state-of-the-art video screens were added. Three
years ago, those video boards were replaced with newer versions
that reflect the ever-changing improvement in video technology. The
new boards are larger and offer high-definition images for the fans’
enjoyment. Ten years ago, each seat in the arena was refinished to its
current natural wood look.
@VT_MBBall
@vthokiembb
VTMBBALL
2