UNCW Women’s Basketball Trask Coliseum The Raiford G. Trask Coliseum has not only served as the cornerstone of UNC Wilmington’s athletic program, but also as the region’s showpiece since the late 1970’s. The facility seats 5,500 fans for basketball events, with the capacity split between seating above the playing surface and on the floor level. The arena was officially dedicated on Nov. 26, 1977, when the UNCW men’s basketball team battled Wake Forest before a sellout crowd, losing to the nationally-ranked Demon Deacons, 83-79. It was also the site of the Seahawks’ inaugural Colonial Athletic Association victory when the team edged George Mason, 66-64, on Jan. 5, 1985. The facility is a versatile one, serving as the home floor for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, while also providing space for physical education classes. It contains three general classrooms, one lecture classroom, a physical measurements laboratory, two handball and racquetball courts, and faculty and administrative offices. Recent improvements have kept the arena in excellent condition. The inside of the arena recently received major upgrades with the addition of a state-of-the-art video scoreboard as well as digital display boards on both the scorer’s table and pressrow. The 1986 women’s basketball and 1996 women’s volleyball championships for the Colonial Athletic Association were conducted at the facility. In 1998, Trask Coliseum was the site of a Federation Cup women’s tennis semifinal match between the United States and France. Several of the world’s top-ranked women’s professional players convened on Wilmington for the ESPN-televised event. The National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards also called Trask Coliseum its pre-season training home for three seasons from 2001-03. Hometown favorite Michael Jordan was a familiar site on campus for those training sessions. The Charlotte Bobcats have also trained at the facility, using the site for pre-season activities on three occasions. Numerous concert and stage performers have also appeared in the arena as part of the North Carolina Azalea Festival, including Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, The Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Charlie Daniels, The Righteous BrothTrask Coliseum Record ers, The Beach Boys, The Four Tops, Willie Nelson, Gladys Knight, and, most recently, country star Brad Paisley and pop icon Jessica Simpson. Year Won Lost Pct. 1977-78 3 3 .500 1978-79 3 6 .333 Trask Coliseum Facts 1979-80 6 4 .600 9 4 .692 Name: Trask Coliseum is named for the late Raiford G. Trask, a local 1980-81 1981-82 8 3 .727 businessman and primary benefactor of the university. 1982-83 8 4 .667 13 0 1.000 Date Opened: Nov. 26, 1977 (Men’s basketball: Wake Forest 83, UNCW 1983-84 1984-85 10 4 .714 79) 1985-86 10 5 .666 11 2 .846 Largest Crowd (Women’s basketball): The Seahawks defeated Charles- 1986-87 9 4 .692 ton Southern, 79-57, in front of a women’s-record crowd of 5,263 fans on 1987-88 1988-89 5 5 .500 Dec. 17, 2010. 1989-90 6 5 .545 6 6 .500 Surface: A new maple surface was installed in September 2001, replacing 1990-91 1991-92 1 11 .083 the original floor. 1992-93 2 11 .154 3 9 .333 Events: Trask Coliseum also serves as the host site for men’s basketball 1993-94 1994-95 3 9 .333 games, concerts, conventions, lectures and graduation ceremonies. 1995-96 1 10 .091 1996-97 5 6 .454 1997-98 7 6 .538 1998-99 7 6 .538 1999-00 10 3 .769 2000-01 5 6 .454 2001-02 10 2 .833 2002-03 10 3 .769 2003-04 9 3 .667 2004-05 6 7 .461 2005-06 11 4 .733 2006-07 4 9 .308 2007-08 9 6 .600 2008-09 8 5 .615 2009-10 7 6 .538 2010-11 12 2 .857 2011-12 9 4 .692 34 Seasons 246 183 .573
2012-13 UNCW Women’s Basketball Virtual Guide
Page 61