GENERAL INFORMATION
Dedicated: December 20, 2003
Capacity: 10,506
| VOLLEYBALL // TOP 5 ATTENDANCE DATES |
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
ATTENDANCE |
| December 2, 2017 |
Missouri |
7,258 |
| December 1, 2017 |
Radford |
7,257 |
| November 2, 2007 |
Missouri State |
6,122 |
| August 25, 2007 |
Kansas State |
6,024 |
| October 25, 2008 |
Drake |
5,916 |
Additional Shocker Volleyball Facilities
Wichita State Volleyball at Charles Koch Arena
The 2003-04 season was the inaugural season of Charles Koch Arena - the 10,500-seat arena, which Shocker fans know as the home venue for Wichita State basketball and volleyball competition.
Charles Koch Arena opened in the Fall 2003, and the first event inside the new facility was the fourth annual Shocker Volleyball Classic on Sept. 12-13, 2003. Charles Koch Arena was then dedicated Dec. 20, 2003 when Wichita State defeated long-time rival Tulsa.
For 47 years the arena, which was previously known as Levitt Arena, was home to Shocker Athletics before the $25 million renovation campaign -”Roundhouse Renaissance” - began. The reconstruction plan, which was announced in Oct. 2000, and began in March 2002, addressed the primary facility needs of the Shockers Athletic Department with the Henry Levitt Athletic Complex, which includes the Charles Koch Arena and Devlin Court, the Taylor Concourse, the Aetna Multi-Purpose Facility, Geist Student Services Building, the Downing Academic Learning Center and the Via Christi Sports Medicine Complex.
In the summer of 2020, the new 36,000 square-foot student-athlete success center, located southeast of Charles Koch Arena, adjacent to Cessna Stadium, was opened. The brand new facility features a 2,500-square-foot study hall, tutoring rooms and a larger computer center, in addition to a new weight room and multimedia studio. WSU’s track and cross country programs also have a dedicated space in the facility.
For 19 seasons, Levitt Arena was home to WSU volleyball before “Roundhouse Renaissance” began. While construction continued, WSU played in the Heskett Center for the 2002 season and returned to the Shockers’ new home Charles Koch Arena in 2003. compiling an 11-2 home record in the arena’s inaugural season. Originally constructed in 1955 at a cost of $1.4 million, the arena was tabbed as “futuristic” by the community due to its circular design. It was regarded as an excellent facility for spectator viewing because of its sight lines and the close proximity of fans to the court. Those amenities only improved with the newly renovated Charles Koch Arena.
The Shocker volleyball team set school records in both season attendance and single match attendance in Charles Koch Arena’s inaugural season and bettered those records in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2017.
The Shockers originally played volleyball in the arena in 1974, which was the first year women’s athletics was sponsored by the WSU Athletic Department. Wichita State did not sponsor the sport in 1981 or 1982, and after volleyball was renewed at the university in 1983, the Heskett Center, WSU’s campus physical education center, served as the Shockers’ new home. In 1991, volleyball returned to the arena.
In 17 years at Charles Koch Arena, the Shockers have posted a 169-52 record.
Address:
Charles Koch Arena
1845 Fairmount St.
Wichita, KS 67260
