Gampel Pavilion Has A New Court ... UConn Offering A Sneak Peek

STORRS, CT — The new court is done at Gampel Pavilion.

The University of Connecticut offered a sneak peek at the floor Thursday.

"Get your first look at Alumni Court at Gampel Pavilion ... going to make many more memories on this new court," UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict posted on social media.

The old floor at Gampel certainly has a lot of history with shoes squeaking their way to 11 women's and five men's national basketball championships on it (banner No.5 for the men has not yet bee hoisted). But the court was declared ancient needed to be replaced, school officials said.

In December, the UConn Board of Trustees approved a $688,480 budget to have it replaced. The funds were already in the Athletic Department budget, officials said. Gampel Pavilion opened in 1990 and the floor was the original wood court.

Because of its age and "current thickness," the floor could no longer be sanded as part of scheduled maintenance and is "beyond its useful life," officials said. Having been sanded and repaired as part of regular maintenance over the past 30-plus years, additional sanding could create risk of exposing the subfloor nails, according to project documents.

Gampel not only hosts the UConn basketball programs, but also several university-wide events like commencement, convocation, open houses and career fairs. The volleyball team is eventually moving out — when its new facility is completed.

University officials have made pieces of the old court available as collectibles.