Bender Arena

Bender Arena
Construction
The American University's Washington College of Law Graduation Ceremony in Bender Arena
Location	4400 Massachusetts Avenue Washington, DC, USA
Owner	American University
Operator	American University
Capacity	Basketball and Volleyball: 4,500 Concerts: 6,000
Surface	Hardwood
Broke ground	1985
Opened	January 23, 1988
Renovated	1998
Construction cost	$20 million ($39.9 million in 2015 dollars^[1])
Architect	Daniel F. Tulley and Associates
Tenants
American University Eagles Basketball, Volleyball and Wrestling

Coordinates: 38°56′16″N 77°5′24″W / 38.93778°N 77.09000°W / 38.93778; -77.09000

Bender Arena is a 4,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Washington, DC. The arena opened in 1988. It is home to the American University Eagles basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams.

The arena, named for Washington DC philanthropists, Howard and Sondra Bender, is also the primary campus venue for concerts, commencement and speakers, seating up to 6,000.

The arena's main court is named for the late former American University athletic director and coach Stafford H. "Pop" Cassell, another AU alum. Bender Arena's current main scoreboard, installed prior to the 2001-02 season, includes a 7-by-9-foot animation and video display and advertising signage for corporate sponsors. At the same time new chairback seating for the west bleachers was installed and new back-lit scorers tables surrounding the playing surface were added.

Bender Arena has a 6,000 person capacity for concerts.

Bender Arena is the flagship facility of the American University Sports Center, which also includes:

The William I Jacobs Fitness Center named after the noted executive and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees
The 25-yard (23 m), eight-lane pool and facilities of Reeves Aquatic Center
A six-store mini-mall
AU's Campus Store
A 470-car, seven-level parking structure

The 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m²) building is adjacent to the Mary Graydon Center, a design intended to increase campus interaction. AU students are able to go to class, have dinner, attend a game or concert and stop by the Tavern or The Eagles Nest convenience store for refreshments without ever leaving the confines of the building. In addition, the facility houses the athletics department and health and fitness offices. Both buildings virtually mark the geographic center of the American University campus.

Bender hosted the 2002, 2008, and 2009 Patriot League men's basketball tournament final and 2012 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic.

References

↑ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2014. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 27, 2014.

External links

Bender Arena

American University, Washington, D.C.

Schools	College of Arts and Sciences Kogod School of Business School of Communication School of International Service School of Public Affairs Washington College of Law

Research	Administrative Law Review Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies National Security Law Brief Legislation and Policy Brief Washington Semester Women and Politics Institute

Athletics	American University Eagles Men's basketball Men's soccer Bender Arena

Media	WAMU The Diane Rehm Show Kojo Nnamdi Show The Eagle

People	List of American University people

Places	American University Park Camp American University Camp Leach Katzen Arts Center Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre American University Museum Tenley Campus

American Eagles men's basketball

Venues	Bender Arena (1988–present)

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15

Basketball arenas of the Patriot League

Bender Arena (American) Christl Arena (Army) Agganis Arena / Case Gym (Boston University) Sojka Pavilion (Bucknell) Cotterell Court (Colgate) Hart Center (Holy Cross) Kirby Sports Center (Lafayette) Stabler Arena (Lehigh) Reitz Arena (Loyola) Alumni Hall (Navy)