Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
Gregory Gymnasium
2101 Speedway
Austin, TX 78712
Year Opened: 2022 Capacity: 11,313
Spiking Deep in the Heart of Texas
There are sometimes sports venues that strike at the very soul of college athletics and everything you hope for your game day experience to be. Sure, basketball and football venues around the country are usually the first you think of when it comes to being that idyllic collegiate experience, but every once in a while a smaller sport takes your breath away, and reminds you that not everything memorable takes place in large arenas or stadiums.
Texas volleyball, a multi-time national championship program, provides this exact spark. Playing in an old, weathered building located deep in the heart of campus, and featuring multi-level seating that seemingly spills over the top of the court itself, in a gymnasium constructed to amplify the cheers of the crowd, you’re hard pressed to find a more impressive venue for the sport.
Food & Beverage 3
There aren’t a lot of options for concessions at Texas volleyball games here, but what is available is incredibly affordable. The main concession stands near the main entrance offer hot dogs ($4), sausage wraps ($5), Bavarian pretzels ($5), popcorn or candy ($3), and jumbo pickles ($3). Drinks include bottled water ($3) or sodas ($5), while other smaller concessions vary, with ice cream available at some games as well.
Atmosphere 5
Gregory Gymnasium is one of those classic collegiate venues that oozes with history. Built in 1930, this 4,000-seat home to Texas Volleyball was originally constructed as the new home for the school’s men’s basketball team. After modernization in 1997 that included the addition of central air conditioning, the arena took its current form. The building is mostly still brick and mortar walls with large exposed beams in the ceiling, complete with windows that let in natural light during the day. Second floor halls are tight and narrow, echoing back to days gone past in stadium architecture.
The entire facility features muted brown and orange hues, harkening to the team’s colors. A video scoreboard is located above the upper deck seating on one end, and championship banners line the rafters. This place is also incredibly loud, with fan chants echoing through the walls just like at a 100,000-seat football stadium.
Neighborhood 5
The campus for Texas is in the heart of downtown Austin, with the city center visible when you walk outside, so you are right there in the middle of one of the most vibrant and quickly growing cities in the nation. The airport is a bit of a drive, however, depending on traffic.
For great food, you can’t skip The Salt Lick or Torchy’s Tacos. Austin is also home to the University of Texas’ main campus, as well as Zilker Park on Lady Bird Lake. Finally, for a hotel, look for Hilton Austin Airport or Holiday Inn Austin Airport as two options that are great, due to their proximity to the airport and to major highways that lead to downtown.
Fans 5
To paraphrase Cassian Andor in Rogue One, Gregory Gymnasium can make 4,000 fans feel like 40,000. This place is incredibly loud, and you’d be hard pressed to find an empty seat. Games are sold out weeks or even months in advance for Texas volleyball, and sellout crowds mean the noise is amplified that much more.
Perhaps what makes the fans here so incredible is their energy and fervor. Every play has a chant, every situation has a cheer, and every fan knows them all. Truly immersing yourself in the atmosphere here includes appreciating the fan base that shows up, from the lower-level student section to the loudest fan in the top-most row of seats in the end zones. But most of all, this is a very family friendly atmosphere – everyone here is friendly and welcoming, and everyone is respectful of visiting fans and those around them.
Access 3
Parking is easily the most difficult aspect of going to Texas volleyball matches. Unless you have a campus parking pass for various areas near the gymnasium, parking for fans is located in the Speedway Garage ($8-$10) or the Brazos Garage ($15) via the Park Mobile app, or using an on-site credit card payment. Once parked, it is a nearly 10-15 minute walk through the heart of campus to get to Gregory Gymnasium.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets are incredibly hard to come by for Texas volleyball games, with most matches selling out far ahead of the date. If you’re able to get your hands on a ticket, however, you’ll be pleased to learn that prices start at just $12. Couple that with affordable parking and incredibly cheap concessions, and you have the perfect recipe for affordable volleyball in one of the best venues around.
Extras 4
The entrance hall to Gregory Gymnasium features large posters of the players on the team, as well as trophy cases for the program.
Once inside, fans walk past a giveaway table, complete with posters, as well as fan cheer and chant guides for you to be able to follow along with everything going on.
There is a rather large and impressive team store set up down in the lower level behind the band seating, giving you access to the latest Texas Volleyball swag.
Championship banners line the rafters inside Gregory Gymnasium, reminding fans of the deep history Texas volleyball has.
Final Thoughts
There is little doubt of the magic Texas volleyball fans experience on a nightly basis inside Gregory Gymnasium – the walls have forgotten more about Texas athletic history than you or I will ever learn, and the fans here are among the best in all of college sports.
Undoubtedly, the energy and palpable passion here harkens back to those halcyon days of iconic college athletics the most ardent sports fans yearn for day in and day out. Perhaps, to some, this may be the highlight of the Texas athletics offerings, rivaling the offerings elsewhere on campus.
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