MSU volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling will compete in new MSU arena

EAST LANSING — A new Michigan State University sports arena will be the home for MSU’s volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams, athletic director Alan Haller said Saturday, a day after the Board of Trustees approved moving ahead with the project.

The plan is for the arena to be a 4,000- to 5,500-seat venue, though Haller said they’ll work to make sure it’s large enough to meet the minimum requirements for hosting Big Ten championships in those sports. Beyond that, he envisions a multi-use space that can also host the state finals in number of Michigan High School Athletic Association sports, as well concerts and other events in the Lansing area.

Haller said he sees it as an arena for the community and campus, though it’s day-to-day function will be to give MSU’s volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams a modern space for competitions. It’ll also be the practice facility for at least MSU volleyball and gymnastics and potentially wrestling.

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MSU’s volleyball team currently plays its matches at Breslin Center, moving over from Jenison Field House in 2022, though it still practices in 84-year-old MSU landmark. MSU’s gymnastics and wrestling teams use Jenison for home competitions. It will continue to be a training facility for MSU’s track and field programs and house locker rooms for MSU track and field, cross country, baseball and softball.

The planned site for the arena is just south of the new Student Recreation and Wellness Center on Harrison Road. Haller said planning for the arena is in the early stages — including zeroing in on a funding model, the design and construction bids.

It will, however, be an MSU Athletics facility, Haller said, unlike Breslin Center, which the athletic department rents for competitions. For example, it costs MSU Athletics about $40,000 per match — $500,000 per season — out of its budget to have MSU volleyball matches played at Breslin.

In an era of unease in college athletics, especially for non-revenue sports, this would appear to be a commitment to remain on the front foot in volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling. Haller previously stated that, even as funding in college sports becomes more challenging and hard decisions have to be made, he won’t cut any of MSU’s 23 varsity teams.

“I’ve been trying to get this project going off and on for the last couple years,” Haller said. “(MSU President Kevin) Guskiewicz has been very supportive. … This is the university saying, ‘You know what, we think this should be done. Let’s move forward with the planning of this project.’”

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.