Daniel-Meyer Coliseum Renamed

The Daniel-Meyer Coliseum is getting a new look, and now it is getting a new name as well. TCU Athletics announced this afternoon that the renovated facility will be renamed the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena, in honor of the lead donors for the roughly $80 million project.

"The day we open this facility I'm going to be so gratified by what has transpired because of one individual and his wife that said 'this is what we want to happen,'" TCU Athletic Director Chris Del Conte said in a press conference Thursday afternoon.

Schollmaier is a member of the TCU Board of Trustees and formerly served as the President and CEO of Alcon Laboratories. The University of Cincinnati graduate previously donated over $5 million to construct the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Athletic Complex, a 22,000-square-foot practice facility located next to the Arena.

"I've been in a lot of premier basketball conferences across the country and obviously we all know what makes basketball programs tick - it's donors, it's administration, it's players. But I've never been around a man like [Ed Schollmaier]," TCU Men's Basketball Head Coach Trent Johnson said. "For me personally, having been in this thing for 30-plus years, there's nobody like [Schollmaier], and I thank [him] from the bottom of my heart."

The renovated facility will be the cornerstone of the entire basketball complex, which will be named the Daniel-Meyer Athletic Complex. The Arena will feature state-of-the-art locker rooms, meeting rooms, and a new sports medicine center. In addition, the playing surface will be lowered to increase courtside and lower bowl seating. Wider concourses, multiple public entry points, and increased concession stands and restrooms will enhance the fan experience at TCU Basketball games.

"I hope that the City of Fort Worth adopts TCU Basketball the same way it has adopted TCU Football, where TCU Football is really the city's team. I think it would be great if we could get basketball to that point," Ed Schollmaier said.

The new facility has already paid dividends when it comes to recruiting.

"We see the benefits already. In recruiting, it has been so fun to show everyone the plans and walk through with hard hats on and start to see this vision become a reality," TCU Women's Basketball Coach Raegan Pebley said.

"No longer will a coach or student athlete come to Texas Christian University and say we cannot win because we do not have the proper facilities," Del Conte said. "No longer will we be embarrassed to bring in a kid and say 'This is where we play, come back at night when the lights are off.'"

Del Conte confirmed that the project is on time and should be ready to go on Friday, November 13 for a Men's and Women's Basketball double-header.

"I encourage all of you to get on the wagon this year and come to some basketball games in the new arena," Schollmaier said. "It is going to be very competitive and very fun."