Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex

{{Short description|Sports facility on the campus of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = Clarence Ching Athletics Complex

| nickname =

| fullname = Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex

| logo_image = Hawaii_Warriors_logo.svg

| logo_size = 50

| image = Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.jpg

| caption = View of the football stadium in 2021

| type = Sports complex

| currentuse = {{plainlist|

}}

| address = 1105 Lower Campus Road

| city =

| country =

| location = Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

| coordinates = {{Coord|21.294|-157.818|type:landmark_region:US-LA|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground =

| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=11|type=point}}

| pushpin_map =

| pushpin_map_caption =

| pushpin_relief =

| pushpin_label =

| pushpin_label_position =

| opened = {{start date and age|2015}}

| owner = University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

| operator = Univ. Hawaii Athletics

| construction_cost =

| architect =

| seating_capacity = 15,194 (2023–present)

Former capacity:

{{collapsible list|

4,100 (2015–2020)
9,346 (2021–2022)

}}

| tenants = {{plainlist|

Hawaii Rainbow (NCAA) teams:
beach volleyball (2015–present)
football (2021–present){{cite news |url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2021/1/11/uh-athletics-prepares-to-play-football-on-campus-in-2021.aspx |title=UH Athletics Prepares to Play Football On-Campus in 2021 |accessdate=January 11, 2020}}
women's soccer (2015–present)
track and field (2015–present)
Events:
Hawai{{okina}}i Bowl (NCAA) (2022–present)

}}

| website = {{url|https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/2008/5/14/cooke_field.aspx|hawaiiathletics.com/ching-complex}}

}}

The Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex is a sport complex located on the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Honolulu, which features a three-story building next to an all-purpose track and Clarence T. C. Ching Field.{{cite web|title=Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex|publisher=hawaiiathletics.com|url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/2008/5/14/cooke_field.aspx|accessdate=December 1, 2019}}{{cite web|title=The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation|date=28 December 2018 |publisher=hawaiimagazine.com|url=https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/clarence-tc-ching-foundation|accessdate=December 1, 2019}}{{cite web|title=Wahine Experience|date=24 October 2017 |publisher=espnhonolulu.com|url=http://www.espnhonolulu.com/2017/10/24/photos-2017-wahine-experience/|accessdate=December 1, 2019}} The facility, built in 2015, includes locker rooms and a meeting room for Hawaii beach volleyball, cross country, women's soccer and track and field teams.{{cite web|title=Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex Dedicated|date=15 May 2015 |publisher=hawaiiathletics.com|url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/5/15/GEN_0515153846.aspx|accessdate=December 1, 2019}}{{cite web|title=Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex|publisher=Venues Unlimited|url=https://www.venuesunlimited.events/venue/clarence-t-c-ching-athletics-complex/|accessdate=December 1, 2019}}

It is the home venue to the university's football team since 2021. The stadium has seating capacity of 15,194, up from 9,346 in 2021 and 2022, though it has standing room for up to 16,000.

History

The complex replaced the university's former sports facility, Cooke Field, following a $5 million donation from the foundation established by Hawaii real estate developer Clarence T.{{nbsp}}C. Ching (1912–1985).{{cite web |url=https://www.clarencetcchingfoundation.org/about-clarence-tc-ching |title=About Clarence T.C. Ching |website=clarencetcchingfoundation.org |accessdate=January 24, 2021}} This was a record donation for the university's athletics program.[http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/05/30/news/story02.html UH sports gift pays tribute to developer]. Star Bulletin (2008-05-30). Retrieved 2019-12-10.Yap, Rodney S. (2012-07-19). [https://mauinow.com/2012/07/19/ching-foundation-enables-uh-to-upgrade-athletics-complex/2147483647/ Ching Foundation Enables UH to Upgrade Athletics Complex]. Maui Now. Retrieved 2019-12-10. This donation was intended to cover half the estimated $10 million cost of the development, due to open in 2013. However, project delays mean the complex ran 60% over budget and did not open until 2015. The remainder of the budget was covered by the university and the state of Hawaii.Briggs, Christine (2019-08-13). [https://playclean.org/clarence-t-c-ching-athletic-complex-a-game-changer/ Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex: A game changer]. Play Clean. Retrieved 2019-12-10.

The delay led to threats from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to decertify the institution's athletic department, given the lack of women's sports facilities. A key aspect of the new complex was to better serve women's athletics at Manoa, in particular the women's soccer team which previously played on a non-NCAA-compliant field.[https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29080228/uh-athletics-complex-opens-2-years-late-cost-60-more-than-first-estimate/ UH athletics complex opens 2 years late; cost 60% more than first estimate]. Hawaii News Now (2015-05-15). Retrieved 2019-12-10.[https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/25656642/jay-talks-clarence-tc-ching-athletic-complex-shortcomings/ Jay talks Clarence TC Ching Athletic Complex shortcomings]. Hawaii News Now (2014-05-30). Retrieved 2019-12-10.McCraken, David (2014-12-15). [http://www.manoanow.org/size-does-matter/article_218a02d2-843d-11e4-be50-6b9bc48dffdf.html Size does matter ]. Manoa Now. Retrieved 2019-12-10.

Uses

The athletics complex served as the home field for the university's women's soccer team before they moved to soccer-specific stadium Waipiʻo Peninsula.[https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule 2024 women's soccer schedule] on hawaiiathletics.com It also has a 778-seat beach volleyball venue with two competition courts, used by the university's beach volleyball team.

The venue also serves as a cross country course.{{cite web|title=Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex|publisher=milesplit.com|url=https://hi.milesplit.com/venues/10832|accessdate=December 1, 2019}} The field and its surrounding track function as the outdoor track and field facility for the university.

= College football =

The complex normally serves as the practice facility for the university's football team. In December 2020, issues with Aloha Stadium (home venue of the football team since 1975) led to that venue halting the scheduling of new events.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/dec/18/new-events-halted-at-aloha-stadium-over-virus-budg/ |title=New events halted at Aloha Stadium over virus, budget issues |agency=AP |website=The Washington Times |date=December 18, 2020 |accessdate=January 23, 2021}} As a result, the team announced plans to play home games on campus at the athletics complex "for at least the next three years".{{cite news |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/01/11/uh-play-home-games-campus-following-aloha-stadium-fallout/ |title='Bows to play football home games on campus after Aloha Stadium fallout |first=Kyle |last=Chinen |website=hawaiinewsnow.com |date=January 11, 2021 |accessdate=January 23, 2021}} Prior to the 2021 season, the university prepared the complex for home football games, including increasing seating capacity, replacing the existing turf, installing a new scoreboard and speaker system and upgrading the press box.{{cite press release |url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2021/1/11/uh-athletics-prepares-to-play-football-on-campus-in-2021.aspx |title=UH Athletics Prepares to Play Football On-Campus in 2021 |website=hawaiiathletics.com |date=January 11, 2021 |accessdate=January 24, 2021}}

File:Aloha Stadium former scoreboard now installed at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.jpg's former scoreboard is now installed at the Ching Athletics Complex.]]

The NCAA required Division 1 FBS football programs to "average at least 15,000 in actual or paid attendance for all home football contests over a two-year rolling period" to remain at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30540425/hawaii-football-search-new-home-aloha-stadium-closed-new-events |title=Hawai'i football in search of new home as Aloha Stadium closed to new events |first=Kyle |last=Bonagura |website=ESPN.com |date=December 17, 2020 |accessdate=January 24, 2021}} The initial expansion included 9,000 seats for the 2021 season, with plans to expand to 15,000 for the 2022 season, which met the FBS minimum. The expansion to 15,000 was delayed until 2023 due to effects stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced Hawaii football to play behind closed doors or with a limited capacity for the first half of their 2021 home schedule.{{cite web |last1=McInnis |first1=Brian |title=Matlin announces Ching Complex expansion to proceed, but will be delayed a year |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2021/11/24/uh-to-proceed-with-ching-complex-expansion.html |website=Pacific Business Journals |access-date=6 April 2022}}

Matlin formally announced a plan to expand to 17,000 for the 2023 season. It was presented to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents on August 17, 2022, and was unanimously approved a day later. The expansion includes a newly-expanded mauka (northern) sideline stand with additional hospitality areas, additions to both end zone stands, filled corners, and the relocation of the old Aloha Stadium HD video board to the end zone stand adjacent to Les Murakami Stadium.{{cite web |last1=Morales |first1=Manolo |title=Matlin to present expansion plan to UH Board of Regents|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/uh-plans-to-expand-football-stadium-for-2023-season/ |website=KHON2 |date=17 August 2022 |access-date=17 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Board of Regents approves two-phase, $30 million expansion project |url=https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/08/18/ching-athletics-complex-expansion/ |website=University of Hawaii System |date=18 August 2022 |access-date=18 August 2022}} Some of the new stands were built over top of the current track, necessitating the construction of a new facility for Hawai'i women's soccer and track, which will be built on the site of two practice fields near Murakami Stadium.

=Year by year=

File:Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex Sandcourt.jpg

class="wikitable"
style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors\|color=white}}"\|Season ! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors\|color=white}}"\|Head coach ! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors\|color=white}}"\|Conference ! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors\|color=white}}"\|Avg. crowd ! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle\|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors\|color=white}}"\|Home record
2021 \| Todd Graham \| rowspan=4\|Mountain West Conference \| 2,302 \| 4–2
2022 \| rowspan=3\|Timmy Chang \| 9,210 \| 3–4
2023 \| 11,251 \| 4–3
2024 \| 12,963 \| 4–3

class="wikitable"

style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|color=white}}"|Season

! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|color=white}}"|Head coach

! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|color=white}}"|Conference

! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|color=white}}"|Avg. crowd

! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|color=white}}"|Home record

2021

| Todd Graham

| rowspan=4|Mountain West Conference

| 2,302

| 4–2

2022