Foster Auditorium

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Quick Facts

The University of Alabama Athletics Department renovated and expanded Foster Auditorium to create a new home for the Crimson Tide's volleyball and women's basketball programs, beginning in 2011. The remodel of Foster included refurbishing the arena portion of the building with new seating both on the floor level and the second level which overlooks the court, creating an impressive competitive atmosphere for both sports.

"We are pleased to be able to renew and restore Foster Auditorium to its position as a vital hub of campus life," Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore said. "Our volleyball and women's basketball programs will have a tremendous arena to practice and play in that is located in the heart of campus."

The restoration of the venerable three-story building was completed in January of 2011 in time for the women's basketball game between Alabama and Florida on Feb. 13, 2011, when the Tide defeated the Gators 64-59.

"I have always said this is what this building should be," Alabama head women's basketball coach Wendell Hudson said. "It will definitely help us with a home-court advantage. We want opposing teams to dislike coming here. Knowing the history of the building and what happened here, and to see it come into what it is today is something special."

The renovation also included suites for both programs that house the teams' locker rooms, team areas, meeting and video rooms and coaches' offices. A weight room and athletics training facilities were also included in the project.

"From the outside, Foster is a magnificent building," head women's volleyball coach Ed Allen said. "Once you get to the inside you see the quality at which the building was renovated. Everything was done in a first class manner to create an intimate environment."

Originally built in 1939, Foster Auditorium was named in 1942 for Richard Clarke Foster, president of the University of Alabama from 1937-41. It was the largest and most expensive of 14 buildings added to campus between 1936 and 1939 using funds from the Public Works Administration.

In its original capacity, Foster served as home for intramurals sports, graduations, concerts, lectures and campus meetings. It also served as the home of several varsity athletic programs over the years, including men's basketball from 1939-68, women's volleyball from 1974-81 and 1989-95, women's basketball, which played selected games in Foster, from 1975-81, and gymnastics from 1975-84.

Additionally, the women's athletic program, including coaches and administrative offices, was located in Foster during the 1970s through the early 1980s.

The volleyball program, which began in 1974, practiced and competed in Foster for 15 seasons (1974-81 and 1988-95). The volleyball program was the last team to leave Foster, moving to Coleman Coliseum beginning with the 1996 season. After playing four seasons (1996-99) on the main Coleman Coliseum floor, volleyball competed in the Coleman Auxiliary Volleyball Extension (CAVE) for 11 seasons (2000-10), before returning to Foster Auditorium in 2011.

Women's basketball played 35 games in Foster from 1975-81, splitting time between Foster Auditorium and the main floor of Coleman Coliseum, until permanently moving to Coleman Coliseum from 1981-2011. Following the completion of the renovation, women's basketball played their final three home games of the 2010-11 season in Foster.

"Foster Auditorium is going to have a huge impact on our ability to attract the kind of student-athletes we expect to get at Alabama," Allen said. "For them to see the atmosphere they're going to play in and how they are going to be taken care of makes the facility vital to our success. The fact that we don't have to leave the arena to lift weights, practice or play will be enticing to future Crimson Tide players."