Auburn's Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum begins its 35th year of service to the University. The capacity of the six-million dollar multi-purpose building has been reduced to 10,500 from its original 12,500 seat capacity.
Within the friendly confines of Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, Auburn boasts a phenomenal 304-53 (.852) record over the past 26 seasons under head coach Joe Ciampi. The worst home season record Auburn has had under Ciampi was a 8-4 mark in 1997-98. The 1988-89 Tigers, who finished as the national runners-up, posted an incredible 17-0 home record en route to a 32-2 season mark.
Named in memory of Auburn alumni "who made the supreme sacrifice for their country in its four wars of this century," Memorial Coliseum was officially dedicated at halftime of the Auburn-Vanderbilt game on February 22, 1969. The first game in coliseum history, however, came earlier on January 11, 1969, when LSU and fabled Peter Maravich visited Auburn. The Tigers downed LSU 90-71 before 12,468 fans.
The facility was renamed Joel H. Eaves Memorial Coliseum in September of 1987 in recognition of Coach Eaves' lasting contributions to Auburn basketball. Eaves, who guided Auburn to its only SEC regular-season championship in 1960, tops the school's all-time list with 213 victories in 14 seasons (1949-50 to 1962-63).
It became known by its present name, Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum, in 1993. Jeff Beard was Auburn's athletic director from 1951-1972 and was one of the greatest ever at the University. The women's basketball team moved into the Coliseum with the onset of their program in 1971-72. In 1991, led by Ciampi, the Tigers made their mark on the national record book when they defeated Alabama 77-48. The win marked Auburn's 63rd-straight win in the Coliseum and eclipsed the previous home-court record of 62 set by Louisiana Tech from 1982-86. Auburn's string extended 68 games, from 1986-1991, and until broken by Tennessee in 1996, ranked as the longest home court winning streak in NCAA history.
| Auburn Women's Basketball Year-by-Year Home Records 80-81 --- 10-1 81-82 --- 13-2 82-83 --- 14-0 83-84 --- 11-3 84-85 --- 12-1 85-86 --- 10-2 86-87 --- 11-0 87-88 --- 11-0 88-89 --- 17-0 89-90 --- 13-0 90-91 --- 12-0 91-92 --- 10-4 92-93 --- 15-1 93-94 --- 9-3 94-95 --- 12-3 95-96 --- 12-1 96-97 --- 10-3 97-98 --- 8-4 98-99 --- 13-2 99-00 --- 14-2 00-01 --- 10-5 01-02 --- 11-5 02-03 --- 16-4 03-04 --- 13-2 04-05 --- 8-4 Total --- 304-53 |
The Coliseum has also served as the home of the varsity indoor track squad and swimming teams in the past. The first official SEC wrestling tournament was held in March of 1970 in Memorial Coliseum. The NCAA wrestling championships were also hosted in 1971, making it only the second championship athletic event of national stature to be held in the South at the time.
The majority of athletic department offices, as well as the physical education offices and dressing rooms, are located in the Coliseum. Student and faculty members have daily access to all facilities.
The $6,033,597 needed to erect the building was appropriated in several ways, after the 1965 Alabama Legislature approved construction. State funds accounted for $4,500,000 and federal funds accounted for $685,597. University funds totaled $498,000 and the athletic department contributed $360,000.
Top 20 Largest Crowds at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum
1. 7,150 Tennessee Jan. 6, 1989 67-59 W 2. 6,921 Vanderbilt Feb. 21, 1993 55-53 W 3. 6,614 Tennessee Jan. 27, 2002 66-53 L 4. 6,200 Mississippi Jan. 30, 1988 71-70 W 5. 6,153 Tennessee Feb. 25, 2001 63-49 L 6. 6,148 Florida Jan. 14, 1998 65-61 L 7. 5,688 Tennessee Feb. 14, 1999 71-63 L 8. 5,612 Georgia Jan. 23, 2000 68-54 L 9. 5,411 Tennessee Jan. 12, 1993 59-70 L 10. 5,230 Tennessee Jan. 19, 1991 70-65 W 11. 5,133 Alabama Feb. 2, 1991 77-48 W 12. 5,110 Alabama Feb. 22, 1989 89-44 W 13. 5,106 Tennessee Feb. 16, 2003 56-59 L 14. 5,089 Tennessee Jan. 14, 1987 75-69 W 15. 5,074 Ole Miss [NCAA] Mar. 25, 1989 77-51 W 16. 5,063 Alabama Feb. 11, 2001 61-60 L 17. 4,915 Mississippi St Jan. 26, 1991 89-38 W 18. 4,757 Mississippi Feb. 17, 1990 60-54 W 19. 4,754 Richmond Jan. 8, 1992 77-54 W 20. 4,632 Alabama Feb. 10, 2002 60-57 L 21. 4,533 Alabama Feb. 17, 1993 93-67 W 22. 4,500 Clemson [NCAA] Mar. 23, 1989 71-60 W 23. 4,326 Alabama Jan. 22, 2004 70-61 W 24. 4,256 Vanderbilt Feb. 22, 2004 60-68 L 25. 4,216 Alabama Jan. 19, 2003 65-61 W
