Venue: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Town: Iowa City, US
Capacity: 15,400

The Carver-Hawkeye Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Iowa City, Iowa. Opened in 1983, it is the home court for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the university's wrestling and gymnastics teams. It was named for the late industrialist Roy J. Carver of Muscatine, Iowa, a prominent statewide booster who donated $9.2 million to the University of Iowa before his death in 1981. Prior to the arena's opening, Iowa's athletic teams played at the Iowa Field House. Prior to playing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa teams played in Close Hall (1902-1905) and then the first Iowa Armory (1905-1922). The first Armory was at the site of the current UI Communications Center building currently sits, across from the Library on the East Side of the Iowa River. Iowa teams moved to the second Iowa Armory (1922-1926), and then to the adjoining Iowa Field House (1926-1982), built directly beside the second Iowa Armory, which was incorporated into the new Field House facility. In 1927, the Iowa Field House was opened during Paul Belding's tenure as athletic director. Considered as a "magnificent structure for its day," the Field House was home to Iowa's basketball and wrestling teams and included an indoor track and swimming pool. The Field House, however, was known for its steel balconies and sub-par acoustics, along with columns that obstructed views. When demand was high for Hawkeye basketball, bleachers were placed behind the baskets, allowing some 15,000 to attend games. Season ticket sales increased during the highly successful tenures of head coaches Ralph Miller and Lute Olson, and support for a new arena gradually increased. Following approval from the Iowa Board of Regents, construction of Carver-Hawkeye Arena began. Entirely funded by private contributions, the arena was expected to be open for the 1982-83 school year, but weather slowed construction to the point where the first event was held on January 3, 1983. Iowa's wres