University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI Athletics Replaces McLeod Center Hardwood
9/14/2018 10:00:00 AM | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Women's Volleyball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The hardwood at the McLeod Center was in place for some of the best memories in UNI athletics history.
The first game on the floor was the UNI 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 game against Michigan State in St. Louis after the Panthers topped No. 1 Kansas 69-67 in the second round, one of the most exciting upsets in NCAA tournament history.
As is tradition, the teams competing in the section are allowed to purchase the floor. It made its home at McLeod where it saw epic wins over traditional powers like North Carolina in men's basketball, Kansas State in women's basketball and Iowa State in volleyball and conference championships by all three teams.
Along with eight years of thrilling action and incredible experiences, came eight years of heavy usage and wear and tear.
"The court served us well, but it was time to replace it," UNI Director of Athletics David Harris said. "This is one of the initiatives under the facilities area in our new strategic plan and we are glad to take this first step and start in a positive manner."
The new floor was installed late last week. The new hardwood was made by Connor Sports. It was used in the 2018 NCAA tournament and then refurbished by the company before being shipped to Cedar Falls.
The maple floor is the industry standard for basketball flooring. Over half of the NBA teams use Connor floors and it is the official floor of the NCAA. It was delivered in 4' x 7' panels making up 16 total rows. It also features PowerShok pad on each panel for resilience.
The new design features a clean look with a larger Panther logo at center court.
The floor was made possible by generous contributions from Mike Peterson, Scheels, Larry and Sandra Fox, R & N Investment Properties, Standard Distribution Co. and Tim and Margene Grady.
"Panthers everywhere continue to step up for our programs," Harris said. "We are grateful for the generous support that we have received and continue to receive. Momentum is building for UNI Athletics and we look forward to achieving an unprecedented level of success."
Panther fans can see the court up close for the first time when UNI volleyball hosts Indiana State at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24. Tickets are available here.
A video timelapse of the court installation is available here.
The first game on the floor was the UNI 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 game against Michigan State in St. Louis after the Panthers topped No. 1 Kansas 69-67 in the second round, one of the most exciting upsets in NCAA tournament history.
As is tradition, the teams competing in the section are allowed to purchase the floor. It made its home at McLeod where it saw epic wins over traditional powers like North Carolina in men's basketball, Kansas State in women's basketball and Iowa State in volleyball and conference championships by all three teams.
Along with eight years of thrilling action and incredible experiences, came eight years of heavy usage and wear and tear.
"The court served us well, but it was time to replace it," UNI Director of Athletics David Harris said. "This is one of the initiatives under the facilities area in our new strategic plan and we are glad to take this first step and start in a positive manner."
The new floor was installed late last week. The new hardwood was made by Connor Sports. It was used in the 2018 NCAA tournament and then refurbished by the company before being shipped to Cedar Falls.
The maple floor is the industry standard for basketball flooring. Over half of the NBA teams use Connor floors and it is the official floor of the NCAA. It was delivered in 4' x 7' panels making up 16 total rows. It also features PowerShok pad on each panel for resilience.
The new design features a clean look with a larger Panther logo at center court.
The floor was made possible by generous contributions from Mike Peterson, Scheels, Larry and Sandra Fox, R & N Investment Properties, Standard Distribution Co. and Tim and Margene Grady.
"Panthers everywhere continue to step up for our programs," Harris said. "We are grateful for the generous support that we have received and continue to receive. Momentum is building for UNI Athletics and we look forward to achieving an unprecedented level of success."
Panther fans can see the court up close for the first time when UNI volleyball hosts Indiana State at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24. Tickets are available here.
A video timelapse of the court installation is available here.
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