Bearcat Arena is a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Maryville, Missouri. It was built in 1959 and renovated in 1993. It is the home of the Northwest Missouri State University basketball and volleyball teams.The Arena is in Lamkin Activity Center, a part of the Ryland Milner Complex and is sandwiched between Bearcat Stadium on the west and the Martindale Gymnasium and the Robert P. Foster Aquatic Center on the east.The Arena was originally called Lamkin Gymnasium (popularly called "Lamkin Gym") and was named for former school president Uel W. Lamkin. The original school gymnasium opened in 1926 as Martindale Gymnasium (named for Nell Martindale Kuchs an early women athletics faculty member). Martindale was used for women's sports and Lamkin for men's sports. The two structures were connected by a tunnel going to the pool in the lower level of Martindale. In 1981 the Foster Aquatic Center replaced the pool.In the 1993-94 academic year the Arena had $6 million renovation and enlargement which changed the front south facade and expanded it to the north (Northwest Student Recreation Center) which, houses a suspended jogging track, three basketball courts and five racquetball/handball courts. Changes on the south side included a new fitness center, lobby and weight-lifting, dressing rooms, coaches offices, and athletic training facilities.The entire building was renamed the Uel W. Lamkin Activity Center with the basketball court area called Bearcat Arena. However, in common usage the whole building is now referred to as Bearcat Arena.
