Lamkin Activity Center
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Entrance to Lamkin Hall
Basketball Game in Lamkin Hall in the 1970s
Lamkin Hall
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- Lamkin Activity Center
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Lamkin Activity Center is named after Northwest’s fifth president, . It was first opened in 1959. Lamkin Activity Center is the home of Bearcat Arena which was constructed in 1959 replacing Martindale Gymnasium as the home of Northwest basketball and volleyball.
The facility houses annual University commencement ceremonies and professional concerts. Before the Hughes Field house was built, Lamkin was used for indoor track and field practices. In 1993-1994, the facility underwent a $6 million renovation in the south and north of the original building. The south side received a new façade that included a fitness center in the basement, and expanded lobby and concourse on the first floor and coaches offices on the second floor. The Student Recreation Center was built onto the North side of Bearcat Arena, featuring three basketball course, a suspended jogging track, and weight lifting equipment.
Also housed in the Activity Center are classrooms and ticket and concession areas on the main level. The lower level has weight-lifting, dressing rooms and athletic training facilities. In 2006-2007, the men’s basketball locker room was renovated and in 2007-2008 the women’s, basketball and volleyball locker room was refurbished.
Named after the fifth president Uel W. Lamkin, Lamkin helped create the school that still exists today. He steered the school through the Depression and World War II and had an impact on the physical side of campus. Lamkin is best remembered for his support of physical education and intercollegiate sports which found expression in the nationally ranked basketball teams coached by Henry Iba in the 1930s and Kittycats women’s basketball squad that went undefeated for five seasons straight. Lamkin was able to get Northwest through labor shortages during the war years and was forced to cut salaries during the Depression.
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- Academics
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