📍 Seattle, Washington
🏀 Home of Seattle Redhawks basketball

Boasting a capacity just one seat shy of 1,000, Seattle University’s Redhawk Center is one of the smallest gyms at the Division I level. Its intimacy, however, lends to its boisterous atmosphere and intimidating environment for visiting teams. The arena was originally built in 1959 but underwent a massive remodel prior to the 2014-15 season that fully enhanced the gameday experience and ultimately resulted in the Redhawks’ return to campus full-time.

Although the team had utilized their on-campus home for decades, the Redhawks played nearly all of their games at nearby KeyArena – now Climate Pledge Arena – since rejoining the DI ranks in 2008. As the extensive overhaul of that venue – in preparation for the arrival of the NHL in Seattle – got underway in 2018, the ‘Hawks moved back to their cozy confines in the Cherry Hill neighborhood. The team now primarily contests its regular season games at the Redhawk Center, with the exception of a few marquee events against opponents like the Washington Huskies – a rivalry that’s been dubbed the “Battle in Seattle” – and the Washington State Cougars.

Following its 2015 facelift, the Redhawk Center emerged with a refreshed contemporary design and improved fan amenities all around. The court itself, situated on the second floor of the building, sits atop the Legends Lounge, an exclusive club area for donors and season ticket holders. Fans in this unique space are offered complimentary food and beverages, and even receive a pre-game spiel from a member of the Redhawks’ coaching staff. The main concourse also features a small merch table and a full concession stand that serves up cuisine such as Philly cheesesteaks.

The concourse walls are decorated with an athletics Hall of Fame which highlights notable players and teams across the university’s different programs. Imprinted on reflective panels, this wall of history touches on Seattle basketball legends such as Elgin Baylor, who would go on to be a star for the Lakers in the NBA after propelling the Redhawks – then known as the Chieftains – into the national spotlight during the 1950s.

The team appeared in the NCAA Tournament 11 times between 1953 and 1969, even finishing as the national runner-up to Kentucky in 1958. For the more than fifty years since, however, the Redhawks have not yet returned to the Big Dance at the Division I level.

The squad, in fact, moved down to the NAIA in 1980, later rejoining the NCAA as a DIII member and then DII, working their way back up to Division I in 2008. Upon re-entering the top flight of college athletics, Seattle began as an independent for several seasons before accepting an invite to the Western Athletic Conference. There, they laid claim to the 2024 CBI crown, their first-ever basketball title. Now, a new battlefield awaits as the Redhawks begin facing new foes and fears in the WCC, which they joined in 2025. This new era has given fans a renewed hope and a sense of excitement as their team takes steps and strides to rock the Redhawk Center and excel deep into the postseason.