NCAA Basketball: 5 smallest arenas entering 2019-20 season
By Erik Mauro
3. Redhawk Center, Seattle – Capacity: 999
I told you. That number bothers you doesn’t it? Seattle, please, I beg you, just add one more seat. It’s not hard.
The Seattle Redhawks of the WAC occupy the third spot on our list. Jim Hayford leads the Redhawks after two straight postseason appearances in the CBI and CIT, losing in the first round both times. This season is his third, and he’s looking for it to be his best yet.
Give credit to Redhawk fans though, they pack the place, selling out multiple times last season and getting over another 800 fans multiple times.
Like other schools on this list, the Redhawks have a long NCAA Tournament drought or have yet to go. They last made the tournament in 1969 before transitioning out of Division I. They started the move back to Division I in 2008, and have just four winning seasons since coming back to this level.
Their drought for the NIT is even longer, since 1957. Seattle is projected to finish in the top half of the WAC this year, and maybe they break through and end the drought, getting back to the NCAA Tournament, but that won’t be easy in a conference with New Mexico State, who has completely dominated the last two seasons.