PITTSBURGH - Duquesne's new UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse will make its debut on national television when the DU men's basketball team hosts Dayton on Feb. 2 at 9:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

The opening is the culmination of a 22-month renovation project that began in March of 2019.

Located on the site of the former A.J. Palumbo Center, UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse will serve as the home for both men's and women's basketball as well as volleyball.

"While we had many obstacles along the way with the pandemic and challenging work environments, UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse is finally going to open due to the efforts of all involved with the project," said Director of Athletics Dave Harper.  "I'd like to thank everyone for making this possible, our donors and community partners, the contractors and construction crews, and our Duquesne team. While the opening is somewhat muted  due to the pandemic, it doesn't dampen our excitement."

"This is truly a transformation and will better position us for success competitively and academically. It will be the epicenter of development and growth for our student-athletes. It repositions our brand and our recruiting strategies as well. In addition, campus life, the Uptown area, and the greater Pittsburgh community will benefit from another first-class facility that will host a variety of events and add vibrancy to the area.

"The responsibility for us is to take full advantage of this tremendous asset and ensure that we continue to execute our strategic initiatives and continue to build momentum. As I told our team, we are blessed to literally be "guests" in this building. Donors, community partners, season ticket holders, and many others made this possible. We have an obligation to give our best effort daily to be stewards of their generosity. "

The facility, named after Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and Duquesne alumnus Chuck Cooper, features six suites, 55 club level seats as well as four unique fan corners with excellent sightlines to the playing floor. Wider, more accessible concourses as well as enhanced concession areas are among the many fan amenities.

Two high-definition Daktronics video boards, four lower level ribbon boards as well as a new scorer's table and sound system will bring the building to life.

UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse houses the Folino Sports Performance Center featuring nearly 10,000 square feet of training equipment, sports performance labs and a nutrition center for all student-athletes, as well as the Joe and Kathy Guyaux Player Development Center which includes two regulation practice basketball courts.

Other areas of note include the spacious Gilliand Pavilion which offers unparalleled views of downtown Pittsburgh and serves as the home of the Merle Gilliand Duquesne Sports Hall of Fame presented by Sherwin-Williams.

The PNC Leadership Academy, designed to enhance the student-athlete experience by providing comprehensive programming to enable success in the classroom as well as in the transition into life after college athletics, is also being completed within the Gilliand Academic Center for Success in the Fieldhouse.

Access to the facility is provided by the A.J. Palumbo Atrium - which recognizes the namesake of Duquesne's previous on-campus home - located at the top of Magee Street, and the Clearway Community Energy Gate which provides building access from Forbes Avenue.

All men's and women's February/March home games, as well as the women's volleyball spring schedule home matches will be played in UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

FAN ACCESS
In accordance with current COVID-19 guidelines and protocols, in-arena access to men's and women's basketball and volleyball will be limited to essential game day personnel, immediate family members of participating student-athletes as well as a limited amount of Duquesne students. Event day access will be continually monitored in conjunction with state, city and Duquesne University protocols.