Peterson Gymnasium Explained

Stadium Name:Peterson Gymnasium
Address:5340 55th Street
Location:San Diego, California
Pushpin Map:United States San Diego#USA California#USA
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in San Diego##Location in California##Location in the United States
Opened:May 1961
Owner:San Diego State University
Operator:San Diego State University Associated Students
Tenants:San Diego State Aztecs (NCAA) (1961–present)
San Diego Conquistadors (ABA) (1972–1973)
Seating Capacity:3,668

Peterson Gymnasium (or Peterson Gym) is an indoor arena in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University. The gym is home of the San Diego State Aztecs women's volleyball team. The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW).

History

Peterson Gym is named after Charles E. Peterson, who during his 37-year career at San Diego State University served as athletic director, football coach, track coach, basketball coach, Dean of Men and alumni executive secretary.

Peterson Gym has been home to several San Diego State Aztecs varsity sports teams over the years, including the now-defunct men's volleyball team (discontinued in 2000), which won San Diego State's first (and-to-date only) NCAA Division I national championship in any sport, at the 1973 NCAA men's volleyball tournament (which was hosted by SDSU and played at Peterson Gym). The men's and women's basketball teams also played at Peterson Gym until moving across the street to Cox Arena (now known as the Viejas Arena) upon its opening in 1997.

In 1972–73, Peterson Gym was home of the American Basketball Association (ABA)'s San Diego Conquistadors.[1] The Conquistadors were coached by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and Boston Celtics great K.C. Jones.[2] The team finished with a 30–54 record. Following the season, the team switched its home arena to the San Diego Sports Arena.[3]

Today, Peterson Gym also contains some classrooms for lectures.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: San Diego Conquistadors . Remember the ABA . 2017-06-22.
  2. Web site: K.C. Jones . Basketball-Reference.com . 2017-06-22.
  3. Web site: 1972-73 San Diego Conquistadors Roster and Stats . Basketball-Reference.com . 2017-06-22.