Manley Field House


Manley Field House is a multi-purpose arena in Syracuse, New York. The arena opened in 1962 and at one time held 9,500 people for home games. It was home to the Syracuse Orange men's and women's basketball teams, the indoor track team, and the women's volleyball team before the Carrier Dome opened in 1980. It is named for Dr. George L. Manley, a University trustee and graduate of the College of Medicine, who was the benefactor of the building. It was built to replace the old Archbold Gymnasium, which had served for almost 60 years prior.
Manley Field House hosted the ECAC Upstate Region Tournament organized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference in 1976 as well as a semifinal game of the 1977 ECAC South Region Tournament.

Renovations

On February 13, 1980, the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team defeated Syracuse 52-50 in the final game played in Manley. Georgetown head coach John Thompson Jr. declared after the victory that Manley Field House was "officially closed". In the 1990s, Syracuse University developed a new football wing on Manley. The football world was a large complex with a Hall of Fame Gallery at its center. The facility was designed by a Syracuse alumni Lawrence C. Apgar, Architect.
On September 26, 2007, ground was broken for the new Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center, which houses practice courts, weight rooms, locker rooms and offices for both the men's and women's basketball teams. This freed up Manley Field House, which was the practice facility for the teams. For the 2007-2008 season, the women's basketball team played all of its home games in the Carrier Dome for the first time. With basketball out of Manley Field House, the arena was converted into an indoor practice facility for football and men's and women's lacrosse.
Due to the climate of Syracuse, the University had lost a recruiting edge to other schools with newer football facilities. The field house was retrofitted with Field Turf and provided practice space for outdoor teams, which usually fight for space in the Carrier Dome in late winter/early spring when the basketball court is still set up. Full glass windows were installed and seating was removed, creating room for nearly a full-sized football field. The entrance to the sports complex was upgraded to create a sleek new look, joining the new basketball with the renovated field house and the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex.
On January 27, 2008, a temporary AstroTurf-like "carpet" was installed to provide practice space for the outdoor teams until the permanent installation took place.