Southwestern College will celebrate 100 years of Stewart Field House this weekend.
The Moundbuilder basketball teams will host Evangel beginning at 2 p.m. with the women’s contest. The No. 9 SC men play after.
Builder Sports Hall of Famer Curt Caden will have the play-by-play for both games live on 95.9 Bob FM and will also address the crowd with thoughts and reflections on 100 years of Stewart Field House.
Moundbuilders Men’s Head Basketball Coach and Southwestern College Athletic Director Matt O’Brien told 95.9 Bob FM Thursday afternoon as a guest on The 620 Sports Show the homecourt of SC has been a special place for him personally.
“I love the field house — it really does mean a lot to me after coaching here for 15 years,” O’Brien, who recently notched win No. 350 as SC HC, said. “Most of us know it’s a national sports landmark. We’ve been 126-25 over the last 10 years here. We’re really, really difficult to beat (at home). It gets really, really loud in the field house. The stone and structure of the facility is like no other place you’ll see in small college athletics. It’s extremely unique.
“The live cat — the black jinx — who lives in the field house in a lot of ways is still very mysterious to our fans and opposing players. We just have a lot going for us here at the field house and we’re really, really proud of it…we take care of the floor ourselves… there’s no place I’d rather coach than right here in Winfield, Kansas — Stewart Field House. I wouldn’t trade it for any other place in America.”
Built in 1924, Stewart Field House is the oldest basketball facility west of the Mississippi River still used for its original purpose, according to SC.
