Al McGuire Center

Opened in 2003, the Al McGuire Center, or “The Al,” is Marquette’s state-of-the-art athletics complex. It is named after the legendary men’s basketball coach who led the team to an NCAA championship in 1977.

At a cost of $31 million, NBBJ architecture firm designed the facility; NBBJ also designed the Staples Center in Los Angeles and Miller Park in Milwaukee.¹ The Al includes a 3,700-seat arena where the university’s women’s basketball and volleyball teams compete. It also contains a full-sized practice gym, a 4,000 square foot strength and conditioning facility, a sports medicine suite (featuring a three-pool hydrotherapy room), a weight room, locker rooms, and business and administration offices.²

 The Al McGuire celebrates Marquette’s athletic achievements and basketball heritage. A statue of Al McGuire in the lobby depicts his triumphant pose after the last-minute Marquette victory over the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1974. The 1977 national championship trophy is held inside the men’s basketball locker room.³

 Just inside the main entrance is Marquette’s Ticket Office. There one can purchase admission for seven of the university’s sports: men’s and women’s basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball.⁴