Fifth Third Arena

Cincinnati has enjoyed a tremendous homecourt advantage for the past 17 years in the 13,176-seat Fifth Third Arena. The building was renamed in 2004 to recognize Fifth Third Bank's generous support of the athletic facilities improvement campaign.

The arena was originally completed in 1989. The volleyball Bearcats beat Toledo on Sept. 12 in the first organized athletic event in the new $32-million facility. Since that initial event, the arena has been the site of 191 volleyball matches and 590 basketball games.

The Bearcats are 532-176 at home in basketball and volleyball since the arena's opening for an outstanding .751 winning percentage. Over the last nine years they have been even better, going 334-65 for an .837 percentage.

Moreover, it has brought out Bearcat fans in droves. Attendance records were set in five of the last 13 men's basketball seasons. In 1999-2000, every Bearcat home game was a complete sellout as the team established a new attendance record with per-game crowd of 13,176.

And when the UC fans get rocking, it gets WILD!

The festive arena, with 16 private executive suites, new Daktronics video boards and restaurant and lounge area overlooking the court, is as good as any college facility in the nation.

A new portable playing surface, the All-Star Plus which is used by several NBA teams, was installed for the 2003-04 season.

UC's proud history and tradition are well-represented in the Fifth Third Arena. The playing surface is named Ed Jucker Court in honor of the coach who directed the Bearcats to two men's basketball national championships. UC's All-Americans are recognized by photo banners hanging in the concourses.

The south wall of the arena is decorated with the numerous men's basketball championship banners and the retired jerseys of Bearcat greats Robertson, Jack Twyman and Kenyon Martin. The north wall recognizes volleyball and women's basketball championships, as well as UC's All-Americans.

In its proud history, Fifth Third Arena has served as host of the 1994 Great Midwest Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, the 1998 Conference USA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 1998 Conference USA Volleyball Tournament, the 1999 NCAA Mideast Women's Basketball Regional and the 2003 NCAA Women's Basketball West Sub-Regional.

The arena will be home to the 2006 BIG EAST Volleyball Tournament, the first hosted by UC since joining the league.

Fifth Third Arena stands at the center of the newly completed Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village. It is connected to the Lindner Athletic Center, which allows convenient access to the Bearcats' new state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength & conditioning centers, as well as all administrative and coaching offices and the Nancy Hamant Academic Center.