Daskalakis Athletic Center
Encyclopedia
Daskalakis Athletic Center (DAC) is a 2,300-seat multi-purpose arena
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. It is home to the Drexel University
Dragons basketball
team. It hosted all or part of the 1993-1996 America East Conference
men's basketball tournament, the 2005 NIT Season Tip-Off
, and the 2007 National Invitation Tournament
. The DAC was built in 1974 as the Physical Education and Athletic Center (PEAC) and was renamed in 2001 after a gift from former Drexel Lacrosse player John A. Daskalakis ('63).
At the 2006 convocation Drexel University president Constantine Papadakis
announced a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²), three-story addition to the existing Daskalakis Athletic Center. The project, now an 84000 square feet (7,803.9 m²) addition, broke ground in June 2008. Construction finished in December 2009 and parts of the building opened to students in January 2010. The Drexel Recreational Center officially opened in February.
It is anticipated that the university athletic teams, the Drexel Dragons
, will be moved over to a recently acquired and soon to be renovated Armory
building and that the DAC will be used exclusively for recreation
al activities.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. It is home to the Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
Dragons basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team. It hosted all or part of the 1993-1996 America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
men's basketball tournament, the 2005 NIT Season Tip-Off
NIT Season Tip-Off
The NIT Season Tip-Off is an annual college basketball tournament that takes place in November of each year, around the beginning of the season. The first two rounds are held at campus sites and the semifinals and the finals are held at Madison Square Garden. The tournament began in 1985 as the...
, and the 2007 National Invitation Tournament
2007 National Invitation Tournament
The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
. The DAC was built in 1974 as the Physical Education and Athletic Center (PEAC) and was renamed in 2001 after a gift from former Drexel Lacrosse player John A. Daskalakis ('63).
At the 2006 convocation Drexel University president Constantine Papadakis
Constantine Papadakis
Constantine Papadakis was a Greek-American businessman and the president of Drexel University.-Academic career:...
announced a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²), three-story addition to the existing Daskalakis Athletic Center. The project, now an 84000 square feet (7,803.9 m²) addition, broke ground in June 2008. Construction finished in December 2009 and parts of the building opened to students in January 2010. The Drexel Recreational Center officially opened in February.
It is anticipated that the university athletic teams, the Drexel Dragons
Drexel Dragons
The Drexel Dragons are the athletic teams of Drexel University.The school's athletic program includes eighteen NCAA Division I sports including nine men's and nine women's teams, with most sports teams competing in the Colonial Athletic Association . Drexel's athletic department was ranked first in...
, will be moved over to a recently acquired and soon to be renovated Armory
Armory (military)
An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
building and that the DAC will be used exclusively for recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al activities.