Minnesota Golden Gophers History

The Barn

The site of the 1951 NCAA Finals, "The Barn" can be a frightening venue for opponents. The raised floor, one of only a handful in the country, and the deafening roar of 14,000-plus fans unquestionably has something to do with it.

Construction on what is now known as Williams Arena was started in 1927 and completed in 1928, when it was dedicated as the University of Minnesota Field House. It cost $650,000 and initially had a seating capacity of 14,100 with bleacher and standing room expansion to 16,000. The original building housed basketball and winter football practice facilities. When the basketball season was completed, the portable floor was taken out and replaced by a pair of tennis courts and an indoor track. Ohio State won the first basketball game held in the building, scoring a 42-40 double overtime victory over the Golden Gophers on Feb. 4, 1928.

The building was remodeled in 1950. Renamed in honor of Dr. Henry L. Williams, U of M football coach from 1900 to 1921, it was divided into a hockey arena on one end and a basketball arena with a seating capacity of 18,025 on the other. From 1950 until 1971, it had the largest capacity of any collegiate basketball arena in the country. The capacity has been reduced to 14,625 in recent years due to renovation, fire-code restrictions and handicapped-seating construction.

Following the 1991-92 season, the renovation of Williams Arena began as part of a $41 million project for on-campus sports facilities. The first phase was completed in time for the 1992-93 season opener. The Golden Gophers' locker room, training room and weight facilities, not to mention spacious offices and team meeting rooms, are now state-of-the-art. The locker room was named in honor of former Golden Gopher coach Ozzie Cowles through the more than $100,000 in gifts from many of his former players.

The east end addition is highlighted by the new Williams Arena Club on the third floor. The Club overlooks the floor and can hold parties of up to 200 fans, adding another touch of class to an already classy arena. The second phase of the renovation project was completed during the summer of 1993. It included the installation of theater-style seats, a new state-of-the-art, computerized scoreboard system, the widening of concourse areas and the addition of both concession areas and women's restrooms.

A large portion of the renovation was financed by private gifts, including those to the successful $5.5 million sports-facilities campaign, and by the generous participation of fans through the assured-seating program.

In the summer of 1997, 21 barn lofts above the second deck were built. The lofts offer a spectacular birds-eye view of the court with luxury amenities. The $2.3 million project added 304 seats to the capacity raising it to 14,625.

The site of the 1951 NCAA Finals, "The Barn" can be a frightening venue for opponents. The raised floor, one of only a handful in the country, and the deafening roar of 14,000-plus fans unquestionably has something to do with it. Spectators only needed to witness the Big Ten title clinching win over Illinois in 1997 or the 106-56 dismantling of Indiana in 1994 to find enough evidence to support that fact. With sellout crowds cheering them on, the Golden Gophers have become very tough to beat at home in front of their loyal fans. The Golden Gophers have fashioned a Williams Arena record of 139-35 over the past 11 seasons, including a 79-18 mark over the last five years. Two years ago, the Golden Gophers completed a perfect 14-0 mark at Williams Arena, the first unbeaten season at home since 1948-49. What's more, only twice since 1936 has Minnesota lost more games in Williams than it has won. The Golden Gophers' overall record in "The Barn" stands at 662-246 for a winning percentage of .729.

A long and illustrious list of college basketball's greatest players have run the Williams Arena hardwood through the years, and many memorable games have been contested within its hallowed walls. The renovation project will keep the historic arena among the finest in college basketball and enable that mystique to live on for many years to come. Williams Arena is truly what college basketball is all about.

The Golden Gopher Spirit Squads

Cheerleading isn’t just alive at the University of Minnesota. It was born here. In 1898, after three straight losses by the University’s football team, a student named Johnny Campbell made the then-radical suggestion that he lead organized cheers to root the players on to victory. A few weeks later, he put his idea into action during a home game between Northwestern and Minnesota.

When the University won by a score of 17-6, much of the credit went to Campbell and his squad of “yell leaders,” as they were initially called. The yell leaders were the first organized cheerleading team in the nation. Soon, no self-respecting college or university could do without its own cheerleading squad.

Today, this proud tradition is carried on by the University’s Spirit Squads, more than 70 dedicated student-athletes who each devote an average of 700 hours per year to practices, games, special appearances, cheerleading camp, and competitions. Like student- athletes in other Gopher sports programs, members of the Spirit Squads – the Cheer Teams, the Dance Team, and Goldy Gopher mascots – must maintain high academic standards and carry a full credit load in order to participate. Unlike student-athletes in other sports, however, Spirit Squad members have no “down” season, practicing and cheering virtually year-round.

All that hard work and dedication has paid off, both in the indefinable boost the Spirit Squads offer the Gopher football, hockey, wrestling, and men’s and women’s basketball teams and in the honors and awards earned by the Spirit Squads. In the last decade alone, Goldy Gopher has twice been named NCAA/ESPN Mascot of the year and the Cheer Team and Dance Teams have consistently been positioned as one of the top 15 teams in the country. 2003 represented the best year in program history, with the Dance Team capturing the 2003 UDA National Championship and the Cheer Team taking home 2003 UPA National Champion honors!

“In the past 10 years, our work has become much more like a sport,” says Beth Frees, events coordinator for the Spirit Squads. “There’s a training staff, a strength and conditioning staff, and our cheerleaders practice four days a week. They also support our other sports teams and end up probably putting in more time than athletes in any other program.”

The student-athletes of the Spirit Squads give a lot to the University – and to state as a whole. They boost enthusiasm for Gopher sports, help unite the community, and provide a positive symbol of our collective pride in the University of Minnesota.