Marty Gordon
The home of Radford University basketball is about to undergo some major upgrades and improvements.
The university announced Wednesday the Dedmon Center is undergoing extensive improvements in preparation for the 2024-25 season spearheaded by a lead gift from Faye Marcum ’71.
The projected completion date for these enhancements is Nov. 1. The updates include new, larger video boards, scoreboards, shot clocks, a state-of-the-art sound system, LED color-changing lights, an upgraded competition court, and a revamped volleyball practice floor.
The upcoming season will feature new, larger video boards at each end. These state-of-the-art videoboards are provided by Fair-Play, a renowned company with a strong track record of installing videoboards for numerous teams across the country, including NBA teams, 50 Division I schools, and several minor league baseball parks. Additionally, two new scoreboards will be installed at each endzone of the Dedmon Center arena, providing fans with clear views of time, score, and player statistics.
“The Dedmon Center has been the versatile hub for Radford athletics for over 40 years and is the home of many pivotal moments and highlights for the basketball and volleyball teams,” said women’s basketball head coach Mike McGuire. “It’s also time for the Dedmon Center to receive important upgrades to enhance the home game experience for our student athletes and fans. I’m truly excited for our student-athletes and fans to experience these improvements. This should continue to help the Dedmon Center be a huge home court advantage and one that Highlander Nation is proud to call home.”
Thanks to a new sound system and LED color changing lights, the Radford fan experience will be further enhanced. Dedmon’s updated lighting system is provided by NGU Lighting, a company known for their work with prestigious programs such as N.C. State, East Carolina, Florida State, Duke (Cameron Indoor), and professional teams like the Philadelphia Eagles.
On the court, the Highlanders will debut a brand-new competition floor for the 2024-25 season. The Quicklock™ Classic floor is the world’s most trusted portable hardwood flooring system that has earned an impressive tenure as the official court of NCAA March Madness® & Final Four®, the Summer Olympic Games, the FIBA World Cup, 14 NCAA Conference Championships, preferred competition floor of the NBA and WNBA, and hundreds of NCAA DI teams nationwide.
“I’m excited for the new renovations to the Dedmon Center,” added men’s basketball head coach Darris Nichols. “It will improve our game day experience and help the Dedmon Center continue to be one of the hardest places to play in the Big South.”
Initially opened in 1981, the facility recently underwent a multi-million-dollar facelift in 2020 and included Carilion Clinic and Radford Athletics entering a five-year partnership. Those previous improvements including replacing the facilities’ famous air-supported fabric roof with a more modernized fabric structure, supported by nine steel trusses.
