As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments and landmark years from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you would like to add to the memories of one of these moments, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moment, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments Featured in This Story
2017 Men's Basketball: CMS 77, Cal Lutheran 71 (SCIAC Finals)
2017 Women's Basketball: CMS 65, Chapman 54 (SCIAC Finals)
The closing of Ducey Gymnasium in 2014 brought some mixed emotions, and the two years spent without an indoor facility or locker room space caused some hassles, but when Roberts Pavilion opened its doors in 2016-17, the temporary hardships were clearly worth their while.
Named in honor of CMC trustee and alumnus George R. Roberts '66 P'93, Roberts Pavilion was designed by the award-winning creative team at John Friedman/Alice Kimm Architects, encompassing over 144,000 square feet on three levels.
Roberts, co-founder of global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co., donated $50 million to the college in 2012 to cover construction costs for the Pavilion. Over the years, Roberts has provided a $25 million matching gift to a faculty campaign that resulted in over 26 endowed professorships, provided funding for the Roberts Environmental Center, and helped the college fund construction of the academic buildings Roberts North and Roberts South. He also donated two public art pieces.
"He is always very sensitive to what our biggest priorities are," CMC Vice President Matt Bibbens noted when the facility opened. "When the college spoke with Roberts about the Pavilion and its potential as an athletic and communal hub, he agreed to help fund the project."
His name is now a part of a facility that is the envy of most of Division III athletics.
"I started working on this project 11 years ago," said Trustee Kenneth Novack '67, chair of the Campus Planning and Facilities Committee at the opening ceremony in the fall of 2016. "It started out as a renovation of Ducey Gymnasium and here we are 11 years later in something that is far more significant than a renovation."
The first floor of the Roberts Pavilion is dedicated to community fitness, including a two-story 10,000 square foot fitness studio with treadmills, cross trainers, exercise bikes, climbers, rowers, weight machines, and other cardio equipment oriented toward windows facing the San Gabriel Mountains and the Axelrood Aquatic Center.
One of the first things anyone notices upon entering the LEED Gold Certified building is a giant wall quote from Roberts: "Whatever you do, go all in."
"Just think about what this space does and what can be done with all of it in a short period of time," Roberts said. "It has really surpassed, quite frankly, anything my imagination and desires were."
The Ted Ducey CMS Hall of Fame, team awards and trophies are on display in cases on the first and second floors. And in acknowledgement of its precursor, donor walls with the names of various contributors are made from wood panels that were once the bleachers in Ducey Gym. Large exercise rooms are available for yoga, aerobics, spin, dance, and other group classes. There is also a 4,500 square foot dedicated weight room.
The 144,000 square feet of space in Roberts also helped solve some of the issues that the former cramped facilities created, with extra locker rooms on the basement floor, more office space on the second floor, and meeting rooms throughout the building.
Of course, the centerpiece of Roberts Pavilion is its main arena, which encompasses all three stores. With game seating for 2000, it is the home of the CMS Athena women's volleyball and basketball teams and the Stag men's basketball team.
The facility has impressed enough people since its opening that it was chosen to serve as the host site for the 2023 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships, which are just two years away.
"We are beyond excited to have a chance to host the 2023 National Championship," said Head Volleyball Coach Kurt Vlasich after the NCAA's announcement. "From the very first day we set foot in Roberts Pavilion, we knew this was a special facility for athletics. To now have an opportunity to host the best teams in the country and show them a first-class experience is something that we have always dreamed of. It is an honor for us to be able to host a Championship, and with the quality and energy of our staff, we know that this will be one of the best championships ever."
It didn't take long after the building opened for the CMS programs to begin asserting their home court advantage. Both the CMS Women's Basketball and CMS Men's Basketball teams swept the SCIAC regular season and postseason championships in the first year in 2016-17, cutting down the nets at Roberts Pavilion after winning in the SCIAC Finals.
The Athenas won the first half of the doubleheader with a big fourth quarter, taking a 65-54 win over Chapman behind 16 points from Kris Brackmann, who was present when the facility opened a few months prior, stressing that it wasn't only a facility for the varsity teams.
"I think it's important to show the community that Roberts Pavilion isn't just for athletics, which is kind of the common assumption from everyone," she said. "I am glad the Art Council could be part of the grand opening and we didn't just put on one thing. We had music, interactive painting and the Art Showcase, so there was a lot going on which makes the Pavilion seem like a multi-dimensional building, which it is."
After the nets were cut down following the women's title, new nets were put up for the men's championship game, and those were cut down by CMS as well, as the Stags took a 77-71 win over Cal Lutheran that came down to the wire and resulted in an impressive debut court-storming.
Including a 12-1 home record for volleyball in the fall, the three CMS teams went a combined 36-7 at Roberts Pavilion in 2016-17 with two championships. Volleyball won its SCIAC semifinal at Roberts Pavilion before falling to Cal Lutheran on the road in the finals, but the following year, the Athenas would win the SCIAC title at home over the Regals, and go on to their first-ever national championship.
CMS also remained a top-10 volleyball program in 2018 and 2019 with 27-4 records both seasons, establishing its national credibility which helped it earn the right to bring the NCAA Championships in 2023.
Volleyball now stands at 55-5 all-time at Roberts Pavilion, while women's basketball is 46-10 and men's basketball is 44-13. The combined record of 145-28 is good for an impressive .838 winning percentage.
In other words, the Athenas and Stags have read the writing on the wall since 2016-17, and have been going all in.
