Tech has a long and storied athletic tradition, and the sports facilities in which the Jackets play are a major part of each sports team’s history. The sections that follow detail the home stadiums of several of Tech’s major varsity sports teams.
Bobby Dodd Stadium: Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field houses one of the most storied programs in college football. The stadium was built in 1913 by students and is the oldest active on-campus stadium of any NCAA Division I football team.
In 2003, the stadium underwent renovations that increased the stadium’s capacity to 55,000 seats. The largest crowd at the stadium since then came in a game against No. 2 Notre Dame in 2006, with 56,680 fans in attendance; the most in Tech history was 60,316, when the Jackets hosted Georgia in 1973.
Because of the stadium’s age, it has gone through numerous reconstructions that have constantly changed its seating capacity. The most recent renovation took place in the summer of 2009, as the sound system was improved and a $4.5 million, 2,400 square foot video board was erected above the South end zone.
Tech named the stadium in honor of former Head Coach Bobby Dodd in April 1988. Dodd led the Jackets to a 165-64-8 record in his 23-year tenure as the head coach and served in some capacity with the institution for 56 years. The field was originally named after John W. Grant, a one-time member of the Georgia Tech board of trustees, in 1914.
Russ Chandler Stadium: Russ Chandler Stadium, the home of Tech baseball, opened in 1930 with the funds that Tech collected from the 1929 Rose Bowl game. It is known to some fans simply as the “Rusty C.”
The stadium was reconstructed in 2002 and has a listed capacity of 4,157. The attendance record of 4,609 was set on April 9, 2008, when Tech hosted Georgia.
Tech has hosted numerous NCAA Regionals and ACC tournaments at the stadium over the past two decades. The stadium also served as a training site during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
It was named in honor of A. Russell Chandler III, who donated much of the necessary money needed for its renovation in 1985.
Alexander Memorial Coliseum: Tech’s Alexander Memorial Coliseum has been home to the men’s basketball team since 1956.
The arena has gone through several renovations, each time adding seating capacity while still maintaining the intimacy and character of the arena. Its original capacity of roughly 7,000 has been expanded over time to 9,191.
The Coliseum’s popular nickname of the “Thrillerdome” was coined by former Tech announcer Brad Nessler during the 1983-84 season after five games ended in exciting fashion.
Since the Coliseum opened, the men’s team has had a home winning percentage of over .700.
O’Keefe Gymnasium: O’Keefe Gymnasium was used by O’Keefe High School during the 1950’s and was given to Tech in the 1960’s. It has been the home of Tech’s volleyball team since 1995.
The gym is able to host around 1,000 people. The Pep Band helps keep the crowd energized during games, leading them with a cheer of “Point Tech!” every time the Jackets win a point.
Bill Moore Tennis Center: Tech’s tennis program hosts one of the nation’s best tennis facilities with the Bill Moore Tennis Center. Its namesake, Bill Moore, is a member of the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame. He provided the funding to help open the Center in 1988.
The center features outdoor courts that can seat 1,500 and a two-story indoor court structure.
Shirley C. Mewborn Field: Starting in March 2009, the softball team began playing its home games at the newly built Shirley Clements Mewborn Field after 21-plus years at Glenn Field.
Mewborn Field can seat up to 1,500 spectators, and like the baseball field it has both chairback and bench seating. The facility also features indoor batting cages and bullpens along the sidelines.
Tech has hosted NCAA Super Regionals at Mewborn Field in each of the stadium’s first two seasons.