HUNTINGTON Ƶ The Marshall volleyball and basketball teams will play on new courts this season following the purchase of two new playing surfaces that will be installed in the Cam Henderson Center this fall.
ThatƵs right, two courts instead of a shared court for both sports.
Marshall Director of Athletics Christian Spears, in his report to the university Board of Governors Tuesday, said a new basketball court has been purchased and will be used by both the menƵs and womenƵs basketball teams.
The university also purchased a Taraflex surface that will be used by the volleyball team. ItƵs a removable surface that, when in use, will be installed on top of the basketball court, creating two individual playing surfaces for a cleaner look on the Henderson Center floor.
The basketball court, which was purchased at a reduced cost after being used in an NCAA tournament, is expected to arrive in September and will be installed in time for the start of the regular season.
ƵTheyƵve got to sand it down and repaint it and make it Marshall,Ƶ Spears said. ƵThat takes a little bit of time, and then trying to organize an install around the basketball and volleyball schedules, we want to make sure we donƵt displace our womenƵs volleyball and menƵs and womenƵs basketball teams for too long.Ƶ
The Taraflex court for volleyball is expected to arrive and be installed in late October, meaning the volleyball team would play on the basketball court until the new playing surface arrives.
The new basketball court also comes with a new design, leaving behind the stateƵs outline and old-school Marco logo at center court for the traditional Block ƵMƵ logo, identical to what is on the football field.
The color scheme of the new floor design will also reflect that of the football field design with black aprons and black inside the foul lanes on each end, accompanied by the Sun Belt Conference logo.
ƵWe thought about doing another fan vote because that got such interest from football but we went ahead and sort of mimicked what we did with football,Ƶ Spears said.
Overall, Spears said having separate courts allows for a cleaner look in the Cam Henderson Center, but will also give each team the chance to compete on a surface that is used for NCAA postseason competition so that if, or when, they compete in those tournaments, it happens on a surface similar to one on which they competed all season.
ƵItƵs going to look a lot cleaner, but most importantly thatƵs what weƵre going to participate on when we go to an NCAA tournament, so letƵs get ready for that. LetƵs expect to be successful so when we are, weƵre not caught off guard,Ƶ Spears said.
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
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