Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Gill Center Gymnasium 99 Stadium Dr Westminster, MD 21157
Year Opened: 1983
Capacity: 2,000
Home of the Green Terror
McDaniel College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Westminster, Maryland. It was established in 1867 and until 2002 was known as Western Maryland College. The name of the college did not reflect the geographic placement of the school as it is not located in the western part of the state. Instead, it was named for the Western Maryland Railroad, which shared some common board members.
The new name of the college honors alumnus William Roberts McDaniel and his 65-year association with the school. Westminster is located 30 miles northwest of Baltimore and is a far suburb of that city. Over 160,000 people live in the area and the surrounding area of Carroll County, Maryland.
The college has a strong history in its football program, but the basketball team has not been noted nearly as much for its history. The unique Green Terror’s name stems from how teams would describe the Western Maryland players as “Terrors” on the field. The name stuck and since 1923 they have been known as the Green Terror.
McDaniel College plays as a member of the Division III Centennial Conference against schools such as Johns Hopkins University, Ursinus College, and Franklin & Marshall College. Gill Gymnasium is the newer version of an older Gill Gym that burned down in the 1990s. This gym is located next to that older facility.
Food & Beverage 1
Food or drinks are prohibited in the gym itself. In the lobby area, there is a snack bar that may be open at some times, although it was not at the game I attended. There are also drink and snack machines available in that lobby.
Atmosphere 2
This is a large gym that is divided in half. There is a small simple grandstand that divides up this larger arena. There are simple grandstands on the other three sides of the court. There was no band or cheer group, although a decent amount of students were there for a Saturday afternoon game. The sound system is particularly bad. Pretty much everything the announcer says comes out as gibberish.
Neighborhood 4
Westminster, being a far suburb of Baltimore, is in a pretty traditional suburban setting. Baugher’s Restaurant and Farm Market is located nearby to campus and is one of the best family-type restaurants around and offers no better place to buy fresh produce. Downtown Westminster is also not far away. Here you can find some good choices such as O’Lordan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant and Maggie’s.
Fans 2
As with most small college gyms, the bulk of the fans tends to be family or friends of both teams. There will be some local fans who just happen to stop by for the game as well. Student attendance could always be better, but I was impressed by the number that was there. This was a Saturday afternoon game and there was a fair number of students at the game.
Access 4
Route 140 is the main route from the Baltimore area towards Westminster and it stems from the end of Baltimore’s I-795. Access to Baltimore, Washington D.C., and central Pennsylvania is fairly easy.
Return on Investment 5
Attending a Green Terror game is free. It is incredible that for absolutely nothing you can attend a game with such a good atmosphere.
Extras 3
Make sure to make some time to view the plaques about the school’s athletic history located in the lobby. I am not sure why some of the trophies are located way up in a manner that you can’t read or look at.
Final Thoughts
McDaniel College is a great place to watch a game and since the cost is nothing, it is worth a stop in.
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