Marisa Field House Waynesburg University

In the year 1935 Waynesburg University was first started to build the Gym. The building of the gymnasium was very comprehensive and complex to build for the workers. For the Gymnasium, was supposed to be 180 feet by 90 feet in size. Giving space for almost double of other colleges' gyms in the region. Next the lower floor was going to contain a five foot swimming pool with showers, dressing rooms for men and women. Which will be isolated from the rest of the gymnasium, for people not from the campus cannot just walk in. Which sadly the making of the pool never happened, due to budget cuts. For the dressing rooms will also be used by men and women, visiting teams, varsity teams for Waynesburg University, and general usage for people who are from the campus or go to it. Last few things that the University wanted to do was the main floor to the Gymnasium will consist of two basketball floors. The two basketball courts are then converted into one maximum sized court for varsity competition. There will be an extra floor used as a dormitory in the later future, that will be used for men with six recitation rooms. Finally, the whole gymnasium will be fireproof incase of a fire or an emergency. 

Next the year is 1983-

During this time was the Phase two of the addition of the newer Gymnasium and the add on. The first thing the Gymnasium was putting in was a new reconstruction center. The University also wanted to add renovations to some of the older parts of the gymnasium. Last thing that the university wanted to do was get new equipment for the teams and new interior furnishing. 

Fitness center 2010-

In February of 2010, Waynesburg opened the doors on its two-story fitness center, which is located adjacent to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. It features an upper level completely dedicated to cardiovascular fitness, a lower level with both free weights and resistance equipment, new men's and women's locker rooms. Additionally, the Fitness Center has several flat screen televisions and refillable water stations located on both levels. The center is free to use for students, faculty and staff.

Present Day- 

The Marisa Fieldhouse and the recreation center contain today basketball courts, a wrestling room, a weight room, men’s and women’s locker rooms, racquetball courts which now is going to become Chick Fil A, and other recreational facilities. Intercollegiate and intramural events are held in this building which seats 1,200 in the original structure and 1,350 in the newer structure. For example men's and women Basketball and women's volleyball is played here. This building also houses the Athletic Training Program offices and facilities, the Athletic Department, and meeting rooms for various student organizations on the top floor.

''Because of the Fieldhouse, every student at Waynesburg knows the name Rudy Marisa. The way he sees it, however, is that as the years go on, the meaning of that name dies down''. His legacy of being a basketball coach will still live on in Waynesburg University, and so as his name for the fieldhouse. Here is his accomplishments of being a basketball coach, and how the fieldhouse was named after him.

Rudy Marisa

Rudy was the Yellow Jackets Basketball coach from 1969 through 2003. During his time of being head coach for the Yellow Jackets, Rudy has won the team 565 wins. He received the 10th rank most head coach in Division three to serve ten seasons with the team. From the former Waynesburg University president Timothy R. Thyreen states about Rudy ‘’"Rudy has been a respected member of the Waynesburg University Athletics Department for more than four decades and has done an outstanding job as both a coach and administrator," He will be missed by everyone’’. During Rudy's coaching career he helped Waynesburg men's basketball team make 15 out of 18 district playoff appearances and 7 times to the NAIA National tournament. Where Waynesburg was district champion from 1983 until 1989. While the Waynesburg men's basketball team had the best record in 1987-1988, with a record of 32-2. At the end of his career his record was 131- 21. 

After being head coach, he became the athletic director for Waynesburg University. During his time all the athletic facilities had major renovations. John F. Wiley Stadium, the home of Waynesburg's football, soccer and lacrosse teams, saw its bleachers expanded and a new artificial playing surface installed. Waynesburg's gymnasium, which was renamed the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse in 2000, was expanded and now has a second basketball court added.

Walid, Bruce '' Waynesburg's Legendary Marisa to retire''. TRIB Live, 2020

Burchianti, Rob ''The mastery of Marisa'' Greene County Messenger, 2015