Gallery: (7-1-2014) Beeghly Center
The Beeghly Physical Education Center is the home of the Youngstown State men's and women's basketball, volleyball and swimming and diving teams.
Thanks to the benevolence of the Tom Zidian Family, the basketball and volleyball venue was rebranded in 2024 as Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. In addition, YSU has named the south lobby the Fred & Lucy Moran/Window World Lobby. The upper reserved chairback seating sections on the east side of the arena have been named for the Hendricks and Kerola Families. Similarly, new floor seating has been named thanks to the continued support of the Spiegel Family. Additional contributions have provided new naming opportunities for The Jack Colonna Women’s Basketball Locker Room, The Sperry Rongone Women’s Basketball Lounge and The JP Daliman Men’s Basketball Head Coach’s Office.
Located between Stambaugh Stadium and the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center on the northwest end of Youngstown State's scenic campus, Beeghly Center is a multi-purpose facility that includes Dom Rosselli Court in the main arena, an Olympic-sized swimming and diving facility, YSU's Athletics Hall of Fame, a weight room, an athletic training center, a film and meeting room, locker rooms, classrooms, and administrative offices.
Millions of dollars have been invested to keep Beeghly Center an attractive facility for student-athletes and fans. Projects in recent years include:
- 2024:Â The venue underwent a major renovation that included new chairback seating on the lower and upper levels of the arena. Court-level seating was also added, and upgrades were made to the videoboard and sound system.
- 2023:Â The Korandovich Family Sports Medicine Center opened to greatly improve and expand upon the previous athletic training area.
- 2022: The women's basketball locker room received a facelift for the first time in more than a decade. A new record board in the Beeghly Natatorium was also installed.
- 2021: New NBA Renegade goals were installed, and an Athletic Performance Center for on-campus counseling was created. There were also enhancements to the weight room, and the Natatorium received an improved timing system and new lights and doors.
- 2020: New shot clocks and arena lights were installed, and the basketball offices received an upgrade.
- 2019: New lighting in the main lobby was installed, and the Coaches Court continued to receive updates. There was also an investment into new media tables, and a locker room for was created for officials.
- 2018: Beeghly Natatorium was part of a massive renovation project that included a new filtration system, deck, lighting and scoreboard. Improvements were made to the bleachers, and enhancements continued to be made in the volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball offices.
- 2017: The men's and women's basketball coaches' offices and the hallway outside the teams' locker rooms were given a modern and refreshed look. The Coaches Court was also expanded and enhanced.
- 2016: Rosselli Court was repainted to feature Youngstown State's Y logo prominently at midcourt with the Pete the Penguin logo in the background and black sidelines and baselines.
- 2015: Beeghly Natatorium and the swimming and diving locker room were enhanced.
- 2014: The lobbies and hallways were renovated, and the front lobby was given new areas for ticket sales, merchandise sales and concessions. Additionally, the men's basketball, women's basketball and volleyball locker rooms were enhanced.
- 2013:Â A videoboard and two new side scoreboards were added to the arena to enhance the gameday atmosphere for basketball and volleyball games. Additionally, a weight room and film room were constructed to improve training and scouting opportunities for student-athletes.
The Coaches Court is a plush room for Penguin Club members. The Coaches Court serves as a venue for Athletic Department functions and meetings, press conferences and event hospitality. It also contains murals that showcase the accomplishments of the Youngstown State men's and women's basketball programs as well as Rosselli and legendary women's coach Ed DiGregorio.
Beeghly Natatorium, located in the Northwest corner of the facility, features a diving well and a 25-yard by 50-meter swimming pool. With 10 lanes, the racing course starts at six feet and reaches to 16 feet at its deepest. The natatorium has been renovated with new lighting and a new sound system within the past decade. The Beeghly Center Natatorium served as the host to the 1977, 1980 and 1981 NCAA Division II Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.
The entire facility was built at a cost of $5.5 million and opened in 1972. It was dedicated in the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Leon A. Beeghly, founders of the Standard Slag Company in Youngstown. The dedication was on Dec. 2, 1972 when the YSU men's basketball team, coached by Rosselli, played host to Ohio. The first women's basketball game in the Beeghly Center was on Jan. 31, 1976, when the Guins defeated Duquesne.
Eleven years after construction, the seating capacity was increased to 6,500 with the addition of permanent seats in the north and south ends of the arena and 1,250 chairback seats located along the court. After the seating enhancement project in 2024, the capacity is currently 4,633.
On September 15, 1996, YSU dedicated Veterans' Plaza directly in front of Beeghly Center. This $500,000 community project was funded in-part through private donations to honor all United States Veterans. Spring Street, the road leading up to Beeghly Center, was updated with a scenic entrance and renamed Armed Forces Boulevard in 2009.
In addition to athletic events, the Beeghly Center serves as a site for graduation ceremonies, community events, concerts and other functions. President Barack Obama held a rally at the arena during his 2008 campaign. ABC's Good Morning America also broadcast live from the arena during the 2008 campaign.
