Fifth ThirdHome Arena of the Cincinnati Bearcats
2013-14 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI VOLLEYBALL
CINCINNATI VOLLEYBALL∙ 6
Home to University of Cincinnati men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball since 1989, Fifth Third Arena has served as the venerable backdrop and to numerous exciting moments in Bearcats Athletics. The 13,176-seat facility opened as the Myrl H. Shoemaker Center, named for the former Ohio Lieutenant Governor. The building was renamed in 2004 to recognize Fifth Third Bank’s generous support of the athletic facilities improvement campaign. The festive arena, with 16 private executive suites, new Daktronics video boards and restaurant and lounge area overlooking the court, provides a loud and raucous home-court advantage for the Bearcats. A new portable playing surface, the All-Star Plus which is used by several NBA teams, was installed for the 2003-04 season and resurfaced prior to the 2012-13 campaign. Fifth Third Arena stands at the center of the Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village. It is connected to the Lindner Athletic Center, which allows convenient access to the Bearcats’ state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength & conditioning centers, as well as all administrative and coaching offices and the Nancy Hamant Academic Center. The UC volleyball squad beat Toledo on Sept. 12, 1989 in the first organized athletic event in the new $32-million facility. Fifth Third Arena has been the ultimate home court advantage for the Bearcats volleyball team. Since the arena’s inception, UC has produced a .760 winning percentage (212-67) in matches played at home, as well as a .823 winning percentage (130-28) in conference matches played at home. Additionally, Fifth Third Arena has hosted 10 regular-season volleyball tournaments, one conference tournament and four nationally televised matches.