A new venue for the University of Texas Longhorns men’s and women’s basketball teams also means a new floor to play on.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that the university earlier this month unveiled a newly designed hardwood court that’ll be the centerpiece of the program’s new home, Moody Center.
“It’s here and it’s beautiful,” UT said in a tweet dated May 2.
Moody Center is located on the UT campus and is the successor to the 45-year-old Frank Erwin Center, which saw its last basketball games earlier this year.
According to the venue’s website, it can host 10,000 people for basketball and has the largest event floor in the country.
The arena will also serve as the home of the new Austin Gamblers professional bull riding team, the Austin Journal reported.
KVUE reported that the Longhorns will commence play at Moody Center in the fall.
A contest for the court’s new design was held last October, with the submissions plus input from men’s coach Chris Beard and women’s coach Vic Schaefer factoring into the final product, per the station.
The contest yielded four winners, KVUE reported, and they’ll receive complimentary tickets to both teams’ home contests during the 2022-2023 season.
According to a report on the UT athletics department’s website, the new court will be permanently replicated throughout parks in the Austin area as part of an initiative funded by Truist, which serves as the Longhorns’ official bank sponsor and Moody Center’s official partner.
