Dorough Field House

Welcome to the Blacktop

Home to Oglethorpe Volleyball, Men's Basketball and Women's Basketball

Dorough Field House is home to both men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball at Oglethorpe University. The facility was completed in 1960 and named after R.E. Dorough, who was an Oglethorpe trustee for many years. A stormy petrel sculpture by artist Duane Hanson is mounted on the outside of the building. The structure underwent a major renovation in 1979 where the field house saw many changes. In 2015, more renovations were made including the famous "blacktop" court.

The facility’s court is known as Pinholster Court and is named to honor legendary coach Garland Pinholster, who led the men’s basketball team to the semifinals of the national tournament in 1963. The gym has recently played host to a first and second round in the 2009 NCAA Division III women’s national tournament, as well as the 2009 SCAC Volleyball Championship. In 2015, the court’s playing surface was refinished into a blacktop, making it one of the most unique basketball and volleyball courts in the country.

The new design replaced the old wood-colored floor and is triple-stained black with the Stormy Petrel’s athletics logo at center court. Pinholster Court is the only truly all-black collegiate basketball court in the country. Upgrades for the facility continued into 2017 with the installation of two LED scoreboards, LED shot clocks, and replaced backboards and rims.

The capacity of the Dorough gym is 900 people usually filled with students, parents, professors, and more. The gym is currently allowing general admission to all games. Come out and support your Stormy Petrels!

Directions and Parking: To get to the Dorough Field House, otherwise known as “The Blacktop”, you must first enter the school’s front entrance. After that head straight through the roundabout and past the baseball field on your left. The gym will be on your left and parking is available in front of the gym.

More Information

Year Opened: 1960
Capacity: 900
Admission: General Admission

Renovation Dates

1960 - Dorough Field House completed
1979 - Stormy Petrel Sculpture addition
2015 - "The Blacktop" court renovation
2017 - LED scoreboards, LED shot clocks, new backboards, and new rims installed

Sports History

1959 - GIAC Champions (Coach Garland Pinholster)
1959 - GIAC Tournament Champions (Coach Garland Pinholster)
1960 - GIAC Champions
1963 - South Central Basketball Champions
1963 - NCAA Third Place
1969 - NCAA National Collegiate Basketball Championship
1994 - SCAC Champions
2008 - NCAA Fourth Place Team
2009 - SCAC Women’s Basketball Champion
February 18, 2017 - Oglethorpe Basketball programs 100th anniversary
2018 - SAA Women’s Basketball Regular Season Champions
2018 - SAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Champions
2020 - SAA Women’s Basketball Regular Season Champions
2020 - SAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Champions
2021 - SAA Women’s Basketball Regular Season Champions

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