Alumni Hall (Providence)

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Alumni Hall
Mullaney Court
Location	Providence College Providence, RI 02918
Opened	December, 1955
Owner	Providence College
Operator	Providence College
Construction cost	$1.5 million
Tenants	Providence College Friars (Women's basketball and volleyball) (Men's basketball 1955-72)
Capacity	2,620 (basketball)

Alumni Hall is the on-campus basketball arena at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1955 to suit the needs of the basketball program, under the direction of college president Rev. Robert J. Slavin, O.P. It was dedicated to those alumni who had fought in World War II. For its first seventeen years, it was the home of the burgeoning men's basketball program, which won the 1961 and 1963 NIT championships under the leadership of legendary coach Joe Mullaney.

In 1974, the women's basketball team began playing there, where they currently reside. The arena hosted several NIT games throughout its tenure, as well as the 1983 (inaugural) and 1993 Big East Conference women's basketball championships. In 2001, the court was renamed in honor of Coach Mullaney.

There is a cafeteria in the bottom level which is connected to the Slavin Center student union building. The cafeteria was expanded in 1997, including an area formerly used as a mini-mall. For many years the Alumni Hall cafeteria was known as the "day hops" cafeteria. At one time half of the student body commuted to campus every day and most ate their lunch and spent between class time in this cafeteria. Commuter students were popularly known as "day hops". A cafeteria for the on campus resident students operated and continues to operate out of Raymond Hall. Alumni hall also housed the on campus Post Office. It served as the campus student union and was the center of campus activity prior to the construction of the Slavin Center. A part-time Hospital Trust Bank branch also operated near the ticket sales area in the foyer of Alumni hall. The alumni hall cafeteria was also the site for many on-campus mixers during the 50's and 60's when girls from all girl Catholic colleges in the region like Salve Regina and Emmanuel would be bussed in for the dances. The school went co-ed in 1972. The hall also hosted many musical concerts that featured such artists as The Association, the Young Rascals, The Hollies, Diane Warwick, Flip Wilson and the Happenings, Judy Collins and other popular artists of the day. The upper floors of Alumni hall housed the studios of WDOM AM & FM which were the campus radio stations staffed by students.

[edit] External links

• Alumni Hall at Friars.com

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