Merrimack Athletics Complex
{{more footnotes|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Merrimack Athletics Complex
| nickname = MAC
| image = Lawler_Arena_Post-Renovation_2024.jpg
| caption = Lawler Arena Post-Renovation 2024
| location = North Andover, Massachusetts
| broke_ground = 1972
| opened = November 28, 1972
| renovated = 2012-2013, 2023
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = Merrimack College
| operator = Merrimack College
| surface = 200 x 85 ft (hockey)
| construction_cost= $2 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|2000000|1972}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect =
| former_names =
| tenants = Merrimack Warriors athletics
| seating_capacity = 2,549 (hockey arena)
1,200 (basketball arena)
}}
The Merrimack Athletics Complex is the home of the Merrimack College Warriors athletics teams. It has a basketball court and hockey arena. Hammel Court, located in the Volpe Athletic Center, is the home of the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the volleyball team. Lawler Rink is the home of the Division I Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey team, which had won the 1978 Division II national title before transitioning to Division I and joining the Hockey East Conference.
The athletic center is named for S. Peter Volpe, a member of the college's Board of Trustees and benefactor. His construction company was responsible for the building of the McQuaid Library on campus. His brother, John Volpe, was U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Richard M. Nixon. The hockey arena is named for J. Thom Lawler, former coach of the men's hockey team who died in 1978 at age 44, just after leading the team to their first national title. The basketball and volleyball court is named after former men's basketball head coach Bert Hammel.{{cite news|last=Pave|first=Marvin|title=Bert Hammel, selfless Merrimack College men’s basketball coach, dies at 67|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2018/10/22/bert-hammel-selfless-merrimack-college-men-basketball-coach-dies/nTsKoJqUR3QiTVQ0V3aRrM/story.html|work=The Boston Globe|date=October 22, 2018}}
Renovations
Over the summer and winter break of 2010, extensive renovation was done on the arena. The wooden bench seating was completely replaced with seatback chair seating and a student bleacher section was installed behind the visiting goalie's side. The "tin foil" insulation was removed from the roof as well. Seating capacity did decrease, however.
A major expansion{{cite news |title=Merrimack Sports Receive A Facelift |url=https://www.eagletribune.com/news/local_news/merrimack-sports-receive-a-facelift/article_fd90baa6-5fdc-5fbb-9826-7028abaf7388.html |access-date=16 July 2024 |work=Eagle Tribune}} was completed in 2013 that included a second ice rink, a franchise food location, and a campus bookstore.
A new scoreboard/jumbrotron was added prior to the 2022-23 season.
File:Lawler_Arena_Gallant_Pavillion_2024.jpg
File:Lawler_Arena_Scoreboard.jpg
Extensive renovations were also completed in the fall of 2023. Funding was provided by Richard H’15 and Susanna Gallant.{{Cite web |title=Lawler Renovation |url= https://www.merrimack.edu/news/transformative-gift-to-enhance-fan-experience-at-lawler-rink/ |access-date=2024-05-17 |language=en-US}}
Lawler Basketball Configuration
Merrimack Men's Basketball played their first ever game at Lawler Arena during the 2021-22 season when they hosted Lehigh. Since then the arena has become a two-sport venue with the ability to change between hockey and basketball like many NHL/NBA arenas. {{Cite web |title=Lawler Basketball to Hockey|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yccJ9rGwOjg |access-date=2024-05-17 |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://merrimackathletics.com/facilities/?id=13 Merrimack Athletics Complex]
- [https://merrimackathletics.com/facilities/?id=4 Lawler Rink]
- [https://merrimackathletics.com/facilities/?id=2 Hammel Court]
{{Merrimack Warriors men's basketball navbox}}
{{Merrimack Warriors women's basketball navbox}}
{{Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey navbox}}
{{Merrimack Warriors women's ice hockey navbox}}
{{Merrimack College|state=autocollapse}}
{{Hockey East}}
{{coord|42.667843|-71.119995|display=t|type:landmark}}
Category:Buildings and structures in North Andover, Massachusetts
Category:College basketball venues in Massachusetts
Category:College ice hockey venues in the United States
Category:Indoor arenas in Massachusetts
Category:Ice hockey venues in Massachusetts
Category:Sports in Essex County, Massachusetts
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