The ASUI Kibbie Dome – “The Dome”
You can’t miss it. No, literally, you cannot miss it. The iconic building plays a part in every student’s time at the University of Idaho, whether you’re into athletics or not. The all-purpose building at the school plays its primary part when it comes to sports, though. Football, men’s and women’s basketball, indoor track and field and men’s and women’s tennis all use the building in some capacity.
The student entrance for football games is the north end, adjacent to the SprinTurf. Every student gets in for free with their Vandal card, as long as they are attending full time.
The stadium lies just west of the UI library and UI commons. In addition to athletic events the dome is used for ASUI Entertainment’s “Finals Fest” concerts and of course, graduation.
Opened in 1971 as the then Idaho Stadium, the stadium served as a replacement for the burnt down Neale Stadium. It wasn’t until 1975 that it was enclosed and became the Kibbie Dome. In 2011, the stadium completed safety renovations, which mainly replaced the wall panels on the east and west ends of the dome. In the process, the Litehouse Center suite box was added to the southside of the dome. In late winter months, the dome is also used for indoor track and field.
Cowan Spectrum
During basketball season, the turf at the Kibbie Dome is rolled up in sections and the Cowan Spectrum is placed. The court is set up against the south stands with temporary seating placed around it and curtained off. In the early 1980s, when coached by Dan Monson, Sports Illustrated named the Kibbie Dome as one of the best home court advantages in college basketball. Students enter the Kibbie Dome through the east entrance adjacent to the SprinTurf, and just walk to the area where the court is placed. Students-attend for free as long as they are full time students.
Memorial Gym – “Mem Gym”
Memorial Gym is home to Idaho’s volleyball program and men’s and women’s basketball teams during the first two months of the basketball season. Built in 1927, Memorial Gym became the primary home for Vandal basketball for over 50 years. The building is also used for intramurals and physical education classes.
The name Memorial Gym was given to the facility to commemorate veterans of the First World War. In the 1940s and early 1950s the building was home to Idaho’s national championship boxing teams, before it was dropped as a collegiate sport in 1954.
Dan O’Brien Track & Field Complex
Renovated in 2012, the Dan O’Brien Track & Field Complex lies to the west of the Kibbie Dome and is the home of outdoor track and field. Although, the facility is used only a few times a year because the program competes on the road for most of its season. The complex hosted the WAC championships in 2012 and saw Idaho take first place.
Sean Kramer can be reached at [email protected]