New seats named after some of USF's legendary athletes will be unveiled tonight on the east and west side of the Sobrato Center.
Legends Seating Sections Unveiled Tonight
12/16/2016 7:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Facilities
War Memorial at the Sobrato Center will have a different look about it for Friday night's game between USF and Portland State.
Since the Dons last home game on Dec. 2, a total of 884 new Hussey seats have been installed in the lower bowl of the facility as part on a multi-phase renovation project. All seats include cup holders and the seats in the center bay on both sides of the court are now upholstered and provide for more generous spacing.
In honor of some of the legends of the Hilltop, the lower bowl sections will be named after some of the most prominent athletes who have ever worn the Green & Gold. The sections on the eastside of the facility starting behind the visitor's bench will be named after USF basketball greats Ollie Johnson, Phil Smith, K.C. Jones and Bill Cartwright, along with former volleyball standout Brittanie Budinger. The lower sections on the west side will recognize the legendary '51 Dons football team, and basketball greats Mike Farmer, Bill Russell, Mary Hile-Nepfel and Brittany Lindhe.
The '51 Dons and Mike Farmer sections will accommodate the "Fog Zone" student-section.
"The installation of the new seats in the lower bowl is another significant step in the renovation of one of the most historical college basketball venues on the west coast," said USF Director of Athletics Scott Sidwell. "We want to provide our fans with the most comfortable and enjoyable experience as possible and at the same time recognize some of our all-time greatest athletes by naming sections after them."
Prior to the season, construction was completed for the remodeling of all of the restrooms in the facility, in addition to installing an elevator in the southwest corner, upgrading the ventilation units and seismic retrofitting the entire facility.
Phase II of the project, scheduled to begin next summer, includes the construction of a club level with preferred seating on the west side of the facility and relocating the main entrance to the southwest corner across from the University Center. The new club level will include a Sport and Social Change Museum designed to promote core Jesuit values through sports and highlight USF's athletic history.
The project was made possible by the generous donation of Silicon Valley philanthropist and real estate developer John A. Sobrato and his wife Susan, whose historic gift of $15 million to the University of San Francisco was the largest individual gift in the institution's history.
In the spirit of the holiday season and Hollywood, USF Basketball will be offering fans a night of fun-filled excitement when the Dons take on the Portland State Vikings tonight on the Hilltop.
In partnership with the SF-Marin Food Bank and the San Francisco Fire Department, all fans who donate a non-perishable food item or a toy will be admitted free to Friday night's game against the Vikings. This offer will also be honored for Monday night's game against Abilene Christian.
Non-perishable food items include but are not limited to canned fruits and vegetables, canned tuna or meat, soup, chili, beans, cereal and granola bars. No glass or perishable items, please. All donations will be distributed to over 450 community partners of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and will be used to prepare meals for those in need or to supplement larger deliveries.
USF Athletics will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys in exchange for a free ticket to its games against Portland State (Dec. 16) and Abilene Christian (Dec. 19). The toys will then be donated to 30 participating Walgreens stores for distribution to San Francisco children.
USF Basketball will also celebrate the opening of the much-anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at Friday night's game. All fans who wear a Star Wars outfit will be admitted free. Kids are invited to attend a "Wookie Cookie" pre-game decorating party in the north mezzanine level beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Fans will also have a chance to win two tickets to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by participating in the Chewbacca Yell and costume contests at halftime.
Since the Dons last home game on Dec. 2, a total of 884 new Hussey seats have been installed in the lower bowl of the facility as part on a multi-phase renovation project. All seats include cup holders and the seats in the center bay on both sides of the court are now upholstered and provide for more generous spacing.
In honor of some of the legends of the Hilltop, the lower bowl sections will be named after some of the most prominent athletes who have ever worn the Green & Gold. The sections on the eastside of the facility starting behind the visitor's bench will be named after USF basketball greats Ollie Johnson, Phil Smith, K.C. Jones and Bill Cartwright, along with former volleyball standout Brittanie Budinger. The lower sections on the west side will recognize the legendary '51 Dons football team, and basketball greats Mike Farmer, Bill Russell, Mary Hile-Nepfel and Brittany Lindhe.
The '51 Dons and Mike Farmer sections will accommodate the "Fog Zone" student-section.
"The installation of the new seats in the lower bowl is another significant step in the renovation of one of the most historical college basketball venues on the west coast," said USF Director of Athletics Scott Sidwell. "We want to provide our fans with the most comfortable and enjoyable experience as possible and at the same time recognize some of our all-time greatest athletes by naming sections after them."
Prior to the season, construction was completed for the remodeling of all of the restrooms in the facility, in addition to installing an elevator in the southwest corner, upgrading the ventilation units and seismic retrofitting the entire facility.
Phase II of the project, scheduled to begin next summer, includes the construction of a club level with preferred seating on the west side of the facility and relocating the main entrance to the southwest corner across from the University Center. The new club level will include a Sport and Social Change Museum designed to promote core Jesuit values through sports and highlight USF's athletic history.
The project was made possible by the generous donation of Silicon Valley philanthropist and real estate developer John A. Sobrato and his wife Susan, whose historic gift of $15 million to the University of San Francisco was the largest individual gift in the institution's history.
* * * * *
In the spirit of the holiday season and Hollywood, USF Basketball will be offering fans a night of fun-filled excitement when the Dons take on the Portland State Vikings tonight on the Hilltop.
In partnership with the SF-Marin Food Bank and the San Francisco Fire Department, all fans who donate a non-perishable food item or a toy will be admitted free to Friday night's game against the Vikings. This offer will also be honored for Monday night's game against Abilene Christian.
Non-perishable food items include but are not limited to canned fruits and vegetables, canned tuna or meat, soup, chili, beans, cereal and granola bars. No glass or perishable items, please. All donations will be distributed to over 450 community partners of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank and will be used to prepare meals for those in need or to supplement larger deliveries.
USF Athletics will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys in exchange for a free ticket to its games against Portland State (Dec. 16) and Abilene Christian (Dec. 19). The toys will then be donated to 30 participating Walgreens stores for distribution to San Francisco children.
USF Basketball will also celebrate the opening of the much-anticipated Rogue One: A Star Wars Story at Friday night's game. All fans who wear a Star Wars outfit will be admitted free. Kids are invited to attend a "Wookie Cookie" pre-game decorating party in the north mezzanine level beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Fans will also have a chance to win two tickets to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by participating in the Chewbacca Yell and costume contests at halftime.
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