View source for Corbett Sports Center

{{Short description|Arena in Greensboro, North Carolina, US}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name      = Ellis F. Corbett Sports Center
| nickname          = The Dawg Pound
| image             = [[Image:Corbett Sports Center Exterior.jpg|right|300px|Corbett Sports Center, from the rear]]
| image_map           = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=300|zoom=15|type=point}}
| coordinates         = {{Coord|36.076783|-79.768849|type:landmark|display=it}}
| fullname          = Ellis F. Corbett Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center
| location          = 1601 East Market Street<br>[[Greensboro, NC]] 27411
| broke_ground      = 1976
| built             =
| opened            = December 3, 1978
| renovated         = 2003, 2005
| closed            =
| demolished        =
| owner             = [[North Carolina A&T State University|North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University]]
| operator          = North Carolina A&T State University
| surface           = Hardwood
| construction_cost =
| architect         =
| former_names      =
| tenants           = [[North Carolina A&T Aggies]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]])<br>Men's basketball (1978–present)<br>Women's basketball (1978–present)<br>Women's swimming (1978–present)<br>Women's volleyball (1978–present)
| seating_capacity  = 5,000
}}

The '''Ellis F. Corbett Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center''', usually called simply the '''Corbett Sports Center''' and popularly referred to as the "Dawg Pound", is a multi-purpose arena in [[Greensboro, North Carolina]], United States, on the campus of [[North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University]]. The complex is home to multiple [[North Carolina A&T Aggies]] athletic teams, including the [[North Carolina A&T Aggies#Men's basketball|men's]] and [[North Carolina A&T Aggies#Women's basketball|women's basketball]] teams as well as the women's volleyball and swimming teams. The complex, opened in 1978, is named after Ellis F. Corbett, a 1931 graduate of A&T. Affectionately known as "Mr.A&T", Corbett was, for many years, the director of public relations and executive secretary of the national alumni association.<ref name=" Bluford Library">{{cite web|title=Bluford Library - Archives and Special Collections|publisher=NC A&T State University Library|date=2010-07-15|url=http://www.library.ncat.edu/info/archives/athleticsbldgs_new.html|access-date=2010-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617021009/http://www.library.ncat.edu/info/archives/athleticsbldgs_new.html|archive-date=2010-06-17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==General Information==
The three-story complex houses office space, classrooms, two racquetball courts in addition to an Olympic sized swimming pool. In 2005, The basketball court was named the Cal Irvin-[[Don Corbett]] basketball court after two of the most Notable coaches in Aggie history. Irwin's legacy stems from his 18-season run as the Aggies Basketball coach. During his tenure, the Aggies never finished below .500. Irvin’s success would carry the Aggies over from the [[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)]] into the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]], where he won the school’s first league championship in 1972. Irvin's held a 308-105 record as coach of the Aggies. His first CIAA championship came in 1958. Irvin’s teams won CIAA titles in 1959,1962, 1964, and 1967.<ref>{{cite web|title=NCA&T Basketball Media Guide|author=NC A&T SU Sports Information|publisher=NCATAggies.com|access-date=2010-05-27 |url=http://www.ncataggies.com/fls/24500/old_site/Mensbasketball/2009-10%20ARTICLES/2009-10%20MBB%20WEB%20GUIDE/%283%29_MBB_INTRO.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=24500 }}</ref>

===Home court advantage===
Corbett Sports Center was chosen in 2010 by [[ESPN]] columnist Kyle Whelliston as one of his favorite arena atmospheres.<ref>{{cite web|title=Student Spirit Week: Favorite Arena Atmospheres|author=Kyle Whelliston|publisher=ESPN.com|access-date=2010-05-22|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/columns/story?id=2732030}}</ref> Additionally, Corbett Sports Center was ranked the 14th best atmosphere in the nation in an espn.com fan poll. North Carolina A&T had the distinction of being the only [[HBCU|Historically Black College and University]] school in the poll, and in 2007 they had three games nationally-televised on ESPNU.<ref name="CorbettSportsCenter">{{cite news|title=Corbett Sports Center|publisher=NCATAggies.com|date=2010-05-22|url=http://www.ncataggies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=24500&ATCLID=204936497|access-date=2010-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323135125/http://www.ncataggies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=24500&ATCLID=204936497|archive-date=2015-03-23|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Non-basketball events===
The Aggies host their home swim meets inside the Corbett Sports Center [[Natatorium]]. Renovated in 2003, the Natatorium has played host to the Historically Black College and University ([[HBCU]]) Swim Meet, which the Aggies have claimed the last four meet wins.<ref name="NCATRegister">{{cite news|title=Aggie Swim Team Loses First Meet But Has High Hopes For Season|publisher=NCAT Register|date=2010-06-09|url=http://www.ncatregister.com/aggie-swim-team-loses-first-meet-but-has-high-hopes-for-season-1.1945250|access-date=2010-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021205142/http://www.ncatregister.com/aggie-swim-team-loses-first-meet-but-has-high-hopes-for-season-1.1945250|archive-date=2009-10-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> The HBCU Swim Meet is a three team meet which features North Carolina A&T, along with fellow [[MEAC|Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] institutions [[Howard University]], and [[Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University|Florida A&M]].

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ncataggies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=24500&ATCLID=204936497 Corbett Sports Center - North Carolina A&T Athletics]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120227232626/http://www.ncatdawgpound.com/corbett_sports_center.php NC A&T's Dawg Pound: Corbett Sports Center]

{{North Carolina A&T State University}}
{{North Carolina A&T Aggies men's basketball navbox}}
{{North Carolina A&T Aggies women's basketball navbox}}
{{Colonial Athletic Association basketball venue navbox}}
{{Triad sports venues}}
{{North Carolina NCAA Division I women's college volleyball venues navbox}}

[[Category:College basketball venues in North Carolina]]
[[Category:North Carolina A&T Aggies men's basketball]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Greensboro, North Carolina]]
[[Category:1978 establishments in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1978]]
[[Category:College volleyball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:College swimming venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Swimming venues in North Carolina]]