Huff Hall facts for kids
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Huff Hall
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| Former names | New Gymnasium (1925-1937) Huff Gym (1937–1992) |
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| Location | 1206 S 4th St Champaign, IL 61820 |
| Public transit | Fourth and Gregory 1 Yellow, 8 Bronze, 22 Illini |
| Owner | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
| Capacity | Volleyball, Wrestling: 4,050 Gymnastics: 3,800 |
| Record attendance | Volleyball: 4,536 |
| Surface | Hardwood Courts |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 7, 1924 |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Renovated | 1992, 2002 |
| Expanded | 2011 |
| Construction cost | $772,000 |
| Architect | James M. White Charles A. Platt |
| General contractor | English Brothers Co. |
| Tenants | |
| Fighting Illini Men's Basketball (1925–63) Fighting Illini Women's Volleyball (1990–present) Illinois Fighting Illini men's gymnastics Fighting Illini Women's Gymnastics Fighting Illini Wrestling |
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Huff Hall is a sports arena located in Champaign, Illinois. It can hold about 4,050 people for events. The arena first opened in 1925. For many years, it was known as Huff Gymnasium.
The building is named after George Huff. He was the athletic director for the University of Illinois from 1895 to 1935. Today, Huff Hall is home to the university's volleyball and wrestling teams. It also hosts gymnastics events. Before 1963, the university's basketball team also played their games here.
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What Sports Are Played at Huff Hall?
Huff Hall is a busy place for many sports. It hosts men's and women's gymnastics. You can also watch men's wrestling and women's volleyball here. During athletic events, you'll see banners hanging. These banners honor past Illini sports heroes. They remind everyone of the university's rich sports history.
The building is also home to the College of Applied Health Sciences. This means it's used for both sports and learning!
A Look Back: The History of Huff Hall
Huff Hall has a long and interesting history. When it first opened in 1925, it was called the "New Gymnasium." It was designed by architects Charles A. Platt and James M. White. The building's style is called Georgian-Revival. This style matches other buildings on the university campus.
The construction of Huff Hall cost $772,000. It took the place of the Military Drill Hall as the main home for the Fighting Illini basketball team. In 1937, the "New Gymnasium" was renamed Huff Gymnasium. This was done to honor George Huff, the university's longtime athletic director, after he passed away.
High School Basketball and Women's Sports
From 1926 to 1962, Huff Hall was a very important place for high school basketball. Every March, it hosted the state finals for the Illinois High School Association boys' basketball tournament. Imagine all those exciting games!
Huff Hall also served as the home for the university's women's basketball team. From the 1970s to the mid-1990s, the women's team played their home games here. This was because it was hard to fill the larger Assembly Hall. Since 1997, the women's team has used Assembly Hall for all their games.
The Former Swimming Pool
For many years, Huff Hall had a swimming pool. From 1927 to 2002, a 25-yard pool was located inside the hall. This pool was 8 feet deep. It was a great place for the University of Illinois Underwater Hockey club and the Water Polo Club to practice.
