Back at home in Carmichael Auditorium

Since it first opened its doors in 1965, Carmichael Auditorium has hosted memorable games and legendary players.
After a renovation project, Carmichael Auditorium is no more. The venue’s new moniker has been changed to Carmichael Arena. For the North Carolina women’s basketball and volleyball teams, the new name means a new beginning.

In July 2008, Carmichael underwent a massive redesign and restoration. The changes included air conditioning, a new sound system, removal of some bleachers and the addition of individual seats and a video board. The $21 million project lasted more than a year and a half, officially finishing in Feb. 2010.

On Dec. 29, the Tar Heel women’s basketball team got its first taste of the new Carmichael in a win against Kennesaw State. For senior guard Cetera DeGraffenreid, the improvements were exciting.

“I love the new construction,” she said. “It really is a different atmosphere because of all the stuff that they added.”

This will be the team’s first full season playing in the new arena. The team played only 12 of their 21 home games in Carmichael Arena, most of which took place while construction was still on-going.

Senior guard Italee Lucas said the completed construction allows the team to avoid the distraction of constantly moving from locker room to locker room.

The North Carolina volleyball team began its season in the new building against three-time defending national champions Penn State on Aug. 27th. Though the Tar Heels lost the match, they managed to draw a crowd of more than 4,000 fans.

Head coach Joe Sagula welcomed the renovations with open arms.

“This building is just a breath of fresh air,” he said. “The climate control, the air conditioning, the arena, the acoustics, the lighting, the floor. There’s not a better facility in terms of a volleyball venue.”

Though he started his 21-year career at UNC at Carmichael Auditorium, Sagula says there is really nothing he misses about the old setup.

“There’s nothing I can say that was better back then than it is now,” he said. “Actually, it seems even more intimate.”

Senior middle blocker Christine Vaughen said she prefers the intimacy of Carmichael Arena to the big stage of the Dean Smith Center, where the team played all of its home games the past two seasons.

“We would get big crowds in the Dean Dome, but it really didn’t matter because the place filled 22,000 people,” Vaughen said. “When we played Penn State, we had like 4,000 people, but the place seemed like it was completely packed. It was just an amazing feeling.”

DeGraffenreid said the return to Carmichael Arena could not come soon enough.

“When we were over in the Smith Center, I just could not wait until we got back to Carmichael,” she said. “I don’t really miss playing in the Dean Dome much because this was always my home.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.