Ryland Milner Complex
Named for long-time coach, athletic director and alumnus Ryland Milner, the Complex contains two gymnasiums, tennis courts and Bearcat Stadium, all located on the southwest side of campus.
Uel W. Lamkin Activity Center, named for the University's fifth president, was first opened in 1959. During the 1993-1994 academic year, the facility was the recipient of a $6 million renovation and enlargement. Included was the total renovation of the existing structure and the construction of north and south additions. The north expansion, called the Northwest Student Recreation Center, houses a suspended jogging track, three basketball courts and five racquetball/handball courts. Included in the south addition is the Fitness Center on the lower level, a lobby on the main level, and offices and meeting rooms for coaches on the top level. The area where basketball and volleyball competition is held has been named the Bearcat Arena. The Arena wood floor was replaced in 2011. Also housed in the Activity Center are classrooms and ticket and concession areas on the main level. The lower level has weight-lifting, dressing rooms and athletic training facilities.
Martindale Hall, opened in 1926, was the original University gymnasium. Remodeled and renovated in 1973-1975, Martindale honors Nell Martindale Kuchs, a faculty member and early leader in women’s athletics. Martindale has a regulation-sized basketball court, replaced in 2011, which can be split for two separate activities such as gymnastics, dance and volleyball. The building also contains classrooms, physical education faculty offices, a dance studio and women’s dressing rooms.
Bearcat Stadium is a playing field with permanent seating accommodating 6,200 spectators and stadium capacity of 7,500. The field is surrounded by the Herschel Neil Track, a resilient all-weather track named after the 1930s Northwest student who held numerous NCAA records. During calendar year 2000, the east grandstand and southeast ticket houses were completely renovated to enhance customer services. In 2002-2003, the west grandstand and pressbox were replaced by an enlarged facility featuring chairback, railback and traditional seats, 10 suites, and an upper media/coaching area and filming tower. A new scoreboard was also added with video replay capabilities. The stadium was renamed in 2004 from Rickenbrode to Bearcat Stadium to honor the Northwest family members who helped to fund the replacement structures and additional facilities. In 2007 the natural turf field was replaced by artificial turf and officially named Tjeerdsma Field to honor the success of Melvin L. Tjeerdsma, the former head football coach. Lights were also added to allow for night use.
Athletic Grounds Support Building, constructed in 2006-2007, is located west of the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. It houses athletic field equipment, paint supplies, lawn equipment, and employee support functions.
The Frank W. Grube Tennis Courts, completed in 1981, are named after the long-time Department of English chairperson and first varsity tennis coach of the University.
Bearcat Field is the home of the Bearcat baseball team and is located on the west campus, and has a grass infield, a scoreboard and press box facility.
A Softball Field was constructed in 1996 near Phillips Hall on the west side of campus. Home to the Bearcat softball team, the dirt infield is made from aqualime, a textured soil that allows moisture to go through to the ground.