Facilities
McGuirk Arena – John Kulhavi Court
Part of the $22.5 million CMU Events Center, McGuirk Arena is home to John Kulhavi Court. The maple hardwood surface was brand new when installed during the renovation of the Rose Center.
The facility features a pair of club rooms, the largest of which is a 1,600 square-foot space with room for 130 Chippewa fans and plush leather chair seating for 88. It also features a 360 square-foot outdoor patio and is also available for receptions, meetings and banquets.
The renovation also upgraded several of the basic arena amenities for patrons of McGuirk Arena. In addition to 1,400 square feet of dedicated concession space, the number of restrooms in the facility was quadrupled. The chairback seating ratio also climbed from 14 percent to 41 percent, and a climate control system was installed in the facility.
The facility is also now a prime host for many uses outside of athletic events, including speakers, concerts and trade shows.
Other functionality upgrades include a satellite training room, improved arena lighting and a brand-new state-of-the-art video scoreboard on the west wall.
Nods to tradition and the history of Mount Pleasant are also present throughout the building. Two facility-length murals line the north and south concourse, paying homage to figures throughout CMU history as well as other facilities and programs on campus.
Digital touch screens contain the entire history of the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame. The historic Embers Restaurant is also remembered in a pair of dishes available at the concession booths. Aramark Concessions offers a Barbeque Pork Sandwich, based on the restaurant’s famous one-pound pork chop, as well as its Peas and Peanut Salad at concession stands during athletics events.
The arena is also home to the Chippewas’ locker rooms. The homes of the basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics teams were also renovated during the 2010 construction, and feature modern accommodations and amenities.
Dick Parfitt Gymnasium
Dick Parfitt’s name has been synonymous with success at Central Michigan University.
Whether it was as a two-sport student-athlete or a championship winning coach, Parfitt’s résumé of success stands out in the history of CMU Athletics, and now it will be synonymous with what helped him achieve all that success – practice.
In the new CMU Events Center, the Dick Parfitt Gymnasium, named after the coach who led the Chippewa men’s basketball program to three Mid-American Conference titles in the 1970s, will be utilized primarily for team practices, but will also function as a space to hold gatherings, receptions and other multipurpose events.
A group of Parfitt’s former CMU players came together to raise the $500,000 necessary to sponsor the naming of the facility.
Parfitt won 192 games in 14 seasons as CMU’s head basketball coach, the second-most of any coach in program history. His three MAC titles-1975, 1977, 1979-are the most for any head basketball coach at CMU.
The Mount Pleasant resident was named MAC Coach of the Year in 1975. In his fourth year at the helm of the program, Parfitt led the Chippewas to an overall record of 22-6, their first MAC title and a 77-75 win over Georgetown in the Mideast Regional of the NCAA Tournament that season.
Parfitt’s 1977 championship team also appeared in the NCAA Tournament, while the 1979 squad participated in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Six of the seven Chippewas who have their jersey numbers retired played at least one season under Parfitt. James McElroy, Melvin McLaughlin, Ben Kelso, Dan Roundfield, Dan Majerle and Ben Poquette all were part of Chippewa teams led by Parfitt, and all six were eventually selected in the NBA Draft.
Parfitt’s exploits were not limited to the sideline, however.
The dual-sport athlete lettered in both basketball and baseball during his collegiate career at CMU. He led the Chippewas in scoring both of his final two seasons, averaging 10.2 points per game in 1952 and 16.5 points per game in 1953. Parfitt was tabbed the team’s most valuable player following his senior season in 1953.
He led the nation in free throw shooting percentage in 1953, converting 93-of-105 free throws for 88.5 percent. He still holds CMU’s single-season free throw percentage record.
Parfitt was inducted into CMU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. At the time, he was just the 10th coach to be inducted. The legendary coach has remained in Mount Pleasant, giving him a chance to stay connected with the university he called home for so many years.
Open to any and all entrants. The cost of any awards are included in the cost of attendance.