📍 College Park, Maryland
🏀 Home of Maryland Terrapins basketball

Boating a capacity of close to 18,000, Maryland’s Xfinity Center is not only one of the largest college basketball facilities in the nation, but it also has some of the highest average attendance figures in the sport. The state-of-the-art venue opened in 2002 and replaced historic Cole Field House, which had served as the Terps’ home for nearly half a century.

Opening its own doors in 1955, Cole Field House was one of basketball’s truly legendary cathedrals. The building was easily identified by its massive, convex roof and the resulting intense gameday decibel level. When it was constructed, Cole was the largest college basketball venue on the East Coast and eventually saw 7 upsets of #1-ranked teams – more than any other past or present college basketball arena can claim. One of the most notorious upsets came during the 1966 Final Four, when Texas Western – now UTEP – stunned an all-white Kentucky team to claim the national title, an event immortalized in the 2006 film Glory Road.

The storied past of Cole Field House lives on today at Xfinity Center, with the old arena’s midcourt floor forming the centerpiece of an educational area in the main atrium dedicated to the Terps’ longtime home. Elsewhere, portions of the courts from both of Maryland’s Final Four wins are suspended on the walls, highlighting the men’s victory in Atlanta in 2002 – which capped their final season at Cole – and the women’s victory in Boston four years later.

But the history lining the hallowed halls of the Xfinity Center extend well beyond just basketball. The venue features two adjoining museum-like areas, each of which highlights the accomplishments of Maryland athletics as a whole. From football memorabilia to women’s lacrosse trophies, this Hall of Fame touches on the 60+ National Championships and the countless conference crowns claimed by the Terps. The Terrapin Walk of Fame also honors individuals who have contributed mightily to the school’s athletic prowess. Overall, the building is rich with tangible historical elements scattered across all four levels.

Architecturally, the arena features some great sightlines, with a steeply designed bowl and upper level that seamlessly stretches to the ceiling. Without support pylons or any overhangs obstructing their path, fans are afforded a clear view of the court from any angle, creating an intimidating gameday atmosphere. But for visiting players, nothing is more intimidating than the ten-row student sections that encircle the entire floor. Students also take over ‘The Wall,’ a towering bank of seats behind the visitors’ second-half basket, where they unleash chants, wave signs and famously unfurl a massive Maryland flag.

A dyed-in-the-wool member of the ACC, the Terrapins made the controversial jump to the Big Ten in 2014. The Terrapins had captured three ACC tournament titles before the move, but they have yet to win a Big Ten tournament and have claimed the regular-season crown only once, in 2020. Even so, the team has fared just as well on the broader national stage, earning at-large bids to nearly every NCAA Tournament since 2015. With that consistency comes a reputation to uphold, and Maryland has ensured that all foes visiting College Park – whether from the ACC, the Big Ten, or anywhere in between – know to Fear the Turtle.