Knapp Center


The Knapp Center is a 7,152-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1992.
The Knapp Center is the center building for three athletic buildings combined together. The Bell Center to the west is a general athletic building with offices, a pool, gym, and locker rooms. To the east is the Shivers' Basketball Practice facility, which opened in 2014. The Knapp Center itself also holds a weight room by the northwest corner of the basketball court.
The namesake of the arena comes from William Knapp, who is the chairman of Iowa Realty and a member of the Drake University Board of Trustees. He played a key role in financing the arena with a $3 million gift towards construction.
After receiving a donation from Hy-Vee, the court was named in honor of Des Moines East graduate, Drake alum, and the former Hy-Vee CEO Ron Pearson as "Ron Pearson Court" on September 18, 2010.

Events

The arena is the home arena for Drake Men's and Women's Basketball and Drake Women's Volleyball. The first Drake Bulldogs basketball game was played on December 5, 1992. The women's basketball team currently has a Missouri Valley Conference record 16 consecutive home conference wins at the Knapp Center dating back to the 2014–15 season.
During the Drake Relays the arena hosts the Beautiful Bulldog Contest and serves as a media center for athlete interviews along with providing additional locker room and warm-up facilities for athletes.
Each May, in addition to Drake University commencement ceremonies the arena hosts numerous area high school graduation ceremonies.
The arena has also hosted media & campaign spin rooms during on-campus political debates and hosted various academic lectures, including lectures from Maya Angelou, Tim Gunn, and former President Jimmy Carter.

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