The Utica Memorial Auditorium: Historic "Aud" hosts Bowdoin/Utica NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal

Images of "The Aud" Courtesy of www.ucpioneers.com

After beating U-Mass Darmouth in the play in round of the 2013 NCAA Division-III NCAA men's ice hockey tournament, the Polar Bears of Bowdoin travel to upstate New York to face the Pionners of Utica College at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. While their classmates will be off sipping wine at study abroad campuses or pounding beers on Spring Break, Dan Weiniger and the rest of the Bowdoin team will be sweating away in the NCAAs at one of the most storied stadiums in all of D-III hockey.        

The Utica Memorial Auditorium, or "Aud", was the vision of former Utica mayor John McKennan. In 1956, the city of Utica hired the architectural firm of Gehron & Seltzer to build a stadium, and the team soon found out the task was more complicated than your run of the mill arena construction. For starters, the site was small, necessitating a round design, and the building required a colorless roof that wasn't too high because that would make it too difficult to heat and cool the building.


And then there was the ground it was to be built on, the site of the old Eerie Canal. Former America Society for Civil Engineer (ASCE) President Kathy Caldwell said that very poor soil conditions weren't conducive to holding  "a very heavy structure so they came up with the cable system because it was very light."(source) Gil Seltzer, the lead architect on the project, called the double cable suspension roof "innovative" and said the groundbreaking design was the proudest of his career. The suspension cable roof became the inspiration for similar arenas around the world. Madison Square Garden, known as "The World's Most Famous Arena," has a roof design based on the Aud. 

The stadium was also one of the first to use telescopic seats. Telescopic bleachers - or bleachers pulled out from below higher levels -were common (and are still common), but pull out bleachers with actual foldout seats had not been done. 

Because of the various engineering challenges and innovative solutions, the ASCE named The Aud a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2011. Only 200 buildings in the world can boast the distinction  and the Aud sits alongside structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Panamal Canal and Washington Monument. (for a video on the award and background on the Aud, see embed below).
                                                                       

After it's opening in 1960, the 4,000 seat stadium would go on to host many hockey tenants in addition to arena worthy musical acts and other events. The building has U shaped seating, with one end open for a stage and a total capacity of 5,700 for floor events. Over the years, The Grateful Dead, ZZ Top, Bruce Springsteen, Phish and many others have graced the stage at the Aud. Elvis was even scheduled to perform at the Aud in a much anticipated concert on August 19, 1977. Unfortunately, the King died on August 16th. In addition to concerts, the building has also hosted an array of events from Harlem Globetrotters exhibitions to the ice capades and monster truck rallies, as well as professional (pretend?) and amateur wrestling. 

Hockey-wise, the Auditorium hosted the 1962 Division I "Frozen Four," with Michigan Tech defeating Clarkson in the championship game for the first of three NCAA titles for the Huskies. Professionally, the Aud was home to several semi-pro and  low level professional teams, including the Mohawk Valley Prowlers (1997-03) and Utica Blizzard (1993-1997) of the UHL. From 1987-93, the stadium housed its most prestigious tenant, the Utica Devils, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. 

NESCAC fans might know the AHL as the league that Wesleyan's Nick Craven just signed an ATO to play in with the Binghamton Senators. Bowdoin fans and Mainers might know the Utica Devils by their former name, the Maine Mariners, who played in the Cumberland County Civic Center, current home to the Portland Pirates (AHL). Bowdoin coach Terry Meagher's brother Nick briefly played for the Mariners in 1984. Continuing the game of six degrees of NCAA separation, the Utica Devils were coached for a season by Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 USA men's hockey "Miracle" team that won the gold at Lake Placid, the place where the winner of Saturday's Quarterfinal will head for the D-III "Frozen Four." One final note on the U-Devils, NHL legend Martin Brodeur spent 32 games on the Oneida County team in 1992-93. 

But the most famous team to play at the Aud was the fictitious Charleston Chiefs of the Federal League. Parts of the cinematic landmark "Slap Shot" (1977) were shot at the arena. Furthering the connection to Saturday's game, the film was written by Nancy Dowd, sister of Ned Dowd, Bowdoin alum ('72) and minor league hockey player. Ned played infamous goon Ogie Oglethorpe in the film and the movie is based at least in part on his experience in professional hockey. Below, find Ogie Oglethorpe's famous intro.

Bowdoin alum Ned Dowd as Ogie Oglethorpe

When the Utica Pioneers became an NCAA team in 2000, the Aud became their home. The college built an annex for team locker rooms, which includes offices for the coaches, a training room, and storage room. Visiting teams  (Bowdoin?) still use the old locker rooms. The Pioneers have built up a solid fanbase in upstate New York and have utilized the largest rink in D-III to the tune of the largest attendance figures at their level of play. In 2011-2012, the Pioneers averaged 3,253 fans per game, with the Oswego State Lakers (also in the tourney this year) in a distant second at 2,434. Bowdoin had the highest figure in the NESCAC, clocking in at 698 per game, good enough for 14th in the nation. (full list) 

With professional hockey no longer present at the Aud, the Pioneers play the highest level of hockey in the building. But it isn't the only hockey in the arena. The New York State High School Hockey Championships will have four games this Saturday, causing a bit of controversy on the USCHO forum. For starters, the 8:30 PM Bowdoin/Utica start time is later than the three other Quarterfinal games, inlcuding those out west, and there are questions about it even being that early if any of the four HS games go to OT. Also, the Aud playing surface is already described by posters as a bit "wet" and there are concerns about the quality of the ice after four games have already been played before the Pioneers and Polar Bears even take the ice for warm-ups. 

Bowdoin was recently awarded the 2014 D-III Frozen Four, to be hosted in Lewiston, ME at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, home of a famous Muhammad Ali title bout. But the Polar Bears don't have to wait until next year to play at a storied arena when they play at "The Aud" this weekend. And coach Meagher's squad certainly wouldn't mind playing at another famed stadium, Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid next weekend.