The Dunkin' Donuts Center
Home of Friar Basketball

Dedicated: November, 1972
Capacity: 12,993
First PC Game: December 11, 1972 -- PC 93 - Fairfield 57
First PC Loss: December 30, 1974 -- St. John's 91 - PC 79
100th Game: February 11, 1978 -- PC 61 - North Carolina 59
200th Game: December 13, 1983 -- PC 65 - Long Island 72
300th Game: February 7, 1989 -- PC 88 - Pittsburgh 78
400th Game: January 21, 1995 -- PC 59 - Syracuse 60
100th Victory: November 29, 1979 -- PC 68 - Assumption 66
200th Victory: March 5, 1988 -- PC 90 - St. John's 81
300th Victory: December 28, 1995 -- PC 83 - Colgate 77

The Dunkin' Donuts Center, home of the basketball Friars, became a reality on November 3, 1972 when the Rhode Island Reds played Tidewater in an American Hockey League contest. Since that time, millions of sports, music and trade fans have walked through the turnstiles in what many consider to be one of the finest civic centers in the country. Indeed, over three million people have played witness to Providence College basketball in this building.

In the spring of 2001, the building gained a corporate sponsor. The facility, previously known as the Providence Civic Center, was renamed the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

The tremendous success of the Friars in the early 1970's mandated a change from Alumni Hall to a downtown facility that would service the demand for tickets to Friar basketball games. Since that time, The Dunkin' Donuts Center has helped Providence College play host to some of the nation's top basketball teams, including each of the 12 BIG EAST opponents.

The Friars have had great success in The Dunkin' Donuts Center, running up a 369-146 record. When the Friars first moved downtown, they ran off 41-consecutive wins before St. John's ruined the streak in the Ocean State Classic in 1974.

The Friars have "shared" the building with the nation's top collegiate and professional basketball teams. UCLA, North Carolina, Marquette, Brigham Young, Duke (then ranked #1) and Michigan (also ranked #1) have all played here. Of course, the BIG EAST roster includes, Georgetown, St. John's, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Boston College, Villanova, Miami, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Rutgers and Notre Dame. The Boston Celtics have played a number of NBA teams in the building as well. The Friars have hosted ECAC Basketball Championships, NCAA First and Second Round games (1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1996), NIT games, the first-ever BIG EAST Championship tournament and the 1978 and 1985 NCAA Eastern Regionals. In 1995 and 2000, the building hosted the NCAA Hockey Championships.

The Dunkin' Donuts Center has seen the world's top entertainment acts visit Providence: The Boston Pops, Lawrence Welk, Ice Capades, Barnum and Bailey Circus, Moscow Circus, Ringling Brothers Circus, ABC Wide World of Sports, World Heavyweight Boxing, Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice, Elvis Presley, Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan, Bobby Brown, Kenny Rogers, Van Halen, Aerosmith, The Bee Gees, Lionel Richie, Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac, Diana Ross and Bruce Springsteen to name a few of the hundreds of entertainers and acts that have played The Dunkin' Donuts Center.

It now serves as the home of the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.

No other New England college basketball team has enjoyed the success that the Friars have seen. That is especially true given the attendance figures given for the first 30 years of the facility.

Providence College In The Dunkin' Donuts Center

Providence vs. Opponents in The Dunkin' Donuts Center
(Includes "away" and neutral games)

Peterson Recreation Center

Opened in 1984, the Peterson Recreation Center features a indoor running track, state of the art weight room, basketball courts, racquetball courts and tennis courts. The all-purpose floor, along with the moving walls and screens, makes the building adaptable for the college's intramural programs, indoor practices and winter workouts.

Taylor Natatorium

This 25-meter pool serves as the home to the Providence College men's and women's swimming and diving programs as well as PC's popular Aquatic Program. The pool is open year round and offers a variety of programs to its members.

Schneider Arena - Home Of Friar Hockey

For the 30th season, the Providence College Friars will play in one of the finest on-campus facilities in the country.

Schneider Arena, opened in 1973, was dedicated and is named in memory of the late Reverend Herman D. Schneider, O.P., the founder of the Friars' highly successful hockey program and a long time member of the school's faculty.

Since its opening night win, a 1-0 decision over the University of Pennsylvania on September 24, 1973, Schneider Arena has been the home of 279 Friar victories and a .612 winning percentage. Among those 279 wins are 19 post-season successes. At tournament time, either ECAC, HOCKEY EAST or NCAA, Providence has a nifty 19-8 mark (.703). The Friars' complete 27-year record stands at 279-171-33.

Built at a cost of $1.8 million dollars in 1973, the Schneider Arena ice skating facility has been recognized by many for its well-planned and smartly designed structure. The building seats 3,030 comfortably for hockey games and also serves as the home of PC's women's hockey team. The size of the ice surface is 200' X 85'.

Schneider Arena underwent extensive energy conserving changes during the summer of 1992, which included the placement of an energy efficient reflective ceiling that helps insulate the rink and reduces yearly energy costs. The new ceiling also helps make the playing surface much brighter.

Schneider Arena is one of Providence College's buildings that is in constant use. When not serving the needs of the men's and women's hockey programs or intramurals, the building serves as the home of many of Rhode Island's youth and high school hockey programs.

As the home of the Friars, Schneider Arena provides a newly renovated locker room, weight room and team facilities that are among the best in the country and would make some major league facilities pale in comparison. The spacious Friar locker room adjoins both the training room and the weight room. The training room is complete with the most up-to-date medical equipment and athletic training conveniences. The weight room features state-of-the-art equipment for conditioning and, when necessary, the rehabilitation of the Friar skaters.

In 1999 as part of the continual upgrading of the facility, a new scoreboard was installed above center ice.

Friars All-Time Record In Schneider Arena

Alumni Hall

In the early 1950's Father Robert J. Slavin felt in order for Providence College to be competitive in basketball, PC needed an on campus facility. Out of this belief came Alumni Hall, a 1.5 million dollar auditorium with a capacity of 2,620, which became the home of the men's basketball team.

After 29 years of playing at various locations throughout Rhode Island, the Friars played their first game in Alumni Hall on December 1955, beating rival Brown University, 77-55. The next 17 seasons saw the Friars post an impressive 179-27 (.869) record in Alumni Hall. In 1972, with the popularity of the men's program and the completion of The Dunkin' Donuts Center, the Friars played their last game in Alumni Hall in March, beating the St. John's Redmen, 73-65.

Alumni Hall became the practice facility for the men's team as they moved their home games to The Dunkin' Donuts Center. Two years later, in 1974, Alumni Hall opened its doors to a new team - the Friars' women's basketball team. Since then, Alumni Hall has been a very special place for the Friars team. In their 27-year history, the Friars have complied a 238-92 (.721) record, continuing the winning tradition that the men's program started.

In addition to being home of the Friars, Alumni Hall has hosted many tournaments, including the opening rounds of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. In March 1993, Providence hosted the 11th BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship. It was the second time in conference history that the tournament was held at Alumni Hall. PC was the host of the inaugural championship in 1983.

Alumni Hall has undergone several changes in the past few years. In the summer of 2001, the gumnasium floor was replaced. Other renovations throughout the building will be completed by the 2002-03 season.

Year-by-Year Records at Alumni Hall

Total: 238-92 (.721)
Home Court Advantage: 238-92 (.721)