Merrimack Athletics Complex

The Merrimack Athletics Complex is the home of the Merrimack College Warriors athletics teams. It has a basketball court and hockey arena. Hammel Court, located in the Volpe Athletic Center, is the home of the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the volleyball team. Lawler Rink is the home of the Division I Merrimack Warriors men's ice hockey team, which had won the 1978 Division II national title before transitioning to Division I and joining the Hockey East Conference.

Merrimack Athletics Complex
MAC
Lawler Rink
LocationNorth Andover, Massachusetts
OwnerMerrimack College
OperatorMerrimack College
Capacity2,549 (hockey arena)
1,200 (basketball arena)
Surface200 x 85 ft (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground1972
OpenedNovember 28, 1972
Renovated2012-2013
Construction cost$2 million
($14 million in 2022 dollars[1])
Tenants
Merrimack Warriors athletics

The athletic center is named for S. Peter Volpe, a member of the college's Board of Trustees and benefactor. His construction company was responsible for the building of the McQuaid Library on campus. His brother, John Volpe, was U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Richard M. Nixon. The hockey arena is named for J. Thom Lawler, former coach of the men's hockey team who died in 1978 at age 44, just after leading the team to their first national title. The basketball and volleyball court is named after former men's basketball head coach Bert Hammel.[2]

Over the summer and winter break of 2010, extensive renovation was done on the arena. The wooden bench seating was completely replaced with seatback chair seating and a student bleacher section was installed behind the visiting goalie's side. The "tin foil" insulation was removed from the roof as well. Seating capacity did decrease, however.

References

42.667843°N 71.119995°W / 42.667843; -71.119995


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