Moody Coliseum - Abilene Christian Wildcats

Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14

Moody Coliseum 1600 Campus Court Abilene, TX 79699

Abilene Christian Wildcats website

Moody Coliseum website

Year Opened: 1968

Capacity: 5,500

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A-C-U

Established as a hub of the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1881, Abilene, Texas, quickly became a regional economic center and centerpiece for the “Big Country”. Dubbed the “Key City”, Abilene has maintained its importance to the west-central area of Texas for the past 250 years.

Allen Booker Barrett, educator and Church of Christ preacher from Tennessee, founded what would become Abilene Christian University in 1906 on five acres of land purchased from J. W. Childers. Originally named Childers Christian College in honor of J. W., the school was renamed Abilene Christian College in 1920.

Though the school moved to a new, much larger location in 1929, its name remained the same until the school gained full university status in 1976. What began with 25 students on a 5-acre parcel of land near the railroad in west Abilene has grown into a mid-major university serving over 6,000 students, including 4,200 undergraduates representing all 50 states, two territories, and 56 foreign countries.

The early days of the athletic program were spent as either independent teams or members of the Texas Conference or Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. In 1952, ACU joined the NAIA and competed as a member school for 20 years. In 1973, the Wildcats joined the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference, where they remained until beginning the transition up to Division I in 2013. As of today, there are 17 varsity sports at ACU, which have produced 40 Olympians across all sports.

Wildcat Basketball has qualified for postseason competition many times in its illustrious history, including five trips to the NAIA or NCAA Division II regional finals, as well as one Elite 8 appearance. Their greatest feat, however, came in the 2021 NCAA Tournament when Abilene Christian, under the direction of Coach Joe Golding and a relentless defense, knocked off # 3 Texas during March Madness, before succumbing to UCLA. The Wildcats currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), where they have resided since 2021.

Food & Beverage   3

Concession upgrades were a major feature of a renovation project completed in 2022. Moody Coliseum has 3 fully stocked concession areas, offering all the normal snack and nonalcoholic drink options one would expect at a basketball game, all served by friendly students. Located conveniently near stairwells and the floor entry portal, all 3 concession stations are easily accessible from the stands. The stands accept cash and multiple digital payment forms, including cards, Apple Pay, and ACU school bucks.

Food options are limited to traditional snack fare, including popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, candy, and chips. There are no specialty or premium items included, but the food presented is prepared fresh before and during games. Coca-Cola products are offered in 20-ounce bottles, with no souvenir containers appearing to be available for any food items.

There is a large selection of drink choices, including multiple flavors of Powerade and Body Armor, three different bottled waters, energy drinks, both sweet and unsweet tea, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, and Dr Pepper, as well as Coke and Sprite. Alcohol is not allowed on Abilene Christian’s campus, so no alcohol sales are offered through the concessions here.

My suggestion is a hot dog, popcorn, and a bottled drink of your choice. If you are lucky, you will be present on $1 hotdog night, where all attendees are presented with a coupon for one $1 hot dog.

Atmosphere   4

The original domed structure at Moody Coliseum created a multi-purpose seating bowl that surrounds the floor in a circular style. This ensures that all the padded, folding seats face the court, creating quality sightlines for all fans. The playing surface is at ground level, meaning that some stair climbing is required for most seats. General admission seating is on the north end of the coliseum, most easily accessible using the ticket booths facing the football stadium, and well-marked with signage. Several stairways lead up into the higher seating areas, and once inside the venue, there is a walkway that allows for 360-degree access within the building. There are multiple accessible seating areas on the floor level for fans with disabilities, and a chair lift is also available at the northeast stairwell to take fans who need it up to the higher seating level.

Abilene Christian averages between 1,000 and 1,100 fans per home game, with larger crowds for rivalries and on special theme nights. The crowd appears to be a mixture of alumni/season ticket supporters and students, along with a few visiting fans. Student groups are spread throughout the facility, instead of being seated solely in one area. Signage saves seating for students beyond the south baseline, but there are also student groups who spread throughout the venue as seating allows. The students are engaged with the game play, but at no time is it inappropriate; during the most recent game I attended, a male social club even asked if they were bothering me with their chants and cheers.

The game announcer makes clear and concise calls without overshadowing the play on the court. Multiple gameday emcees rotate and introduce fan participation contests during timeouts on the floor. The energy brought by the various emcees is inconsistent, however, which makes a difference in the crowd interaction. Most games are designed for ACU students, with prizes that benefit Wildcat undergrads such as campus bucks and local gift cards – contests include half-court shots, long golf putts, and three-point shots, among others.

Neighborhood   4

Abilene Christian, located on the eastern edge of the University Hills neighborhood of Abilene, is surrounded by a mixture of mid-century single-family homes, duplexes, and condos that are popular with students, faculty, and as short-term vacation rentals. Traditionally a safe and quiet area of town, this Rockwellian setting is slowly showing signs of modernization through business development north and east of the university, as well as urban renewal, one home at a time. Paired with the school’s desire to compete academically and athletically with top-tier schools across the US, Abilene Christian’s campus has grown into a beautiful gem on “The Hill”.

Within a short drive, visitors will find numerous dining and sleeping options. In addition to multiple Airbnb and Vrbo listings near campus, there are multiple hotels within a couple of miles of the arena,  including Courtyard by Marriott, Home2 Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and Comfort Suites, among others.

Dining options within a short drive are varied, with choices ranging from drive-thru fast food to finer dining restaurants. Located catty-corner from campus to the northwest, you will find Allen Ridge, a retail and dining center featuring lakeside dining options, plus a playground and walking trail. Restaurants found in Allan Ridge include Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Twisted Root Burger Company, Cork and Pig Tavern, and Phoenix Pho. With ample parking across the street from these restaurants, dining and walking to the game is a viable option, although free parking is located even closer to the facility.

Multiple fast food options can be quickly found by traveling south on Judge Ely Boulevard or east on Ambler Avenue. Among these quick options, you will find McDonald’s, KFC, Braum’s, Rosa’s, Schotzsky’s, Raising Cane’s, Taco Casa, Panda Express, and Jason’s Deli, to name a few. For casual sit-down experiences in the same two areas, you can find Cracker Barrel, Chili’s, Chipotle, Blu Barrel Bar and Grill, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Other local favorites within a reasonable drive include Galveston Seafood Company, Oscar’s Mexican Food, Rock and Rollerz Burgers, and Texas Flaming Grill. Another local favorite, a Texas top 50 barbecue joint, is Jay’s BBQ Shack on South 11th Street.

For fine dining, a few suggestions that require a bit longer drive include The Beehive, Taylor County Taphouse, and Perini’s Steakhouse, among many more. Perini’s is located in Buffalo Gap, approximately 30 minutes south of Abilene, where the owner, Tom Perini, is famous for serving presidents, governors, and celebrities, with his meals providing some of the best bites of food you may ever eat.

Fans   4

Wildcat fans are known to be loyal. They are generally neither rude nor confrontational, but get loud, cheer success, and expect to be competitive in all their athletic endeavors. As the university has grown and its athletic programs have moved up in competition, the number of regional rivalries has diminished, leaving few that remain.

Basketball crowds are influenced greatly by both game-day promotions and the success of the team. I most recently attended the annual student “social club night” during pledge week, so the student crowd was large and loud. The number of large student groups on hand that night led chants and competition amongst one another to be the loudest during the game.

Since its 2022 renovation, Moody Coliseum has a seating capacity of 3,600 (approximately 500 fewer than the original setup); the new seating arrangement allows for additional leg room and larger seats. All seats in the arena bowl provide a quality viewing experience.

Access   5

Abilene Christian University is located mere blocks off Interstate 20 in Abilene, Texas, via exit 288 at the corner of Ambler Avenue and Judge Ely Boulevard. With Abilene Regional Airport a mere 12-minute drive away, the university is easily accessible whether flying or driving into town. If flying commercial, you will be forced to utilize American Eagle with connections in DFW airport; Abilene Regional allows private planes as well. There are also multiple car rental agencies at the airport to choose from, in addition to rideshare services. Public transportation is not a reasonable option in Abilene.

Moody Coliseum is located near the center of campus, easily visible immediately to the south of the football practice field. The parking lot adjacent to the arena is reserved for disabled and permit parking, but free parking is located less than a half mile’s walk from the venue entrance. The free parking lots are located along Campus Court or off ACU Drive, between the baseball and football fields – both lots can be accessed from Ambler Boulevard.

Return On Investment   4

The cost of general admission tickets is $8, and a full meal can be purchased for less than $10, meaning that a $20 bill is sufficient to guarantee an evening of entertainment. With the amount of action NCAA DI Mid-Major basketball offers, infused with an active student body and in-game entertainment, one should feel comfortable knowing their time and money will be well worth the investment when you make the trip to ACU.

Extras   5

Painted on the wall across from the northeast staircase is a picture of the Wildcat’s tallest player beside a tape measure; this is a fun and unique selfie background that can be utilized by fans of all ages.

Ample, free parking is available near Moody Coliseum from multiple directions in Abilene. This close access at no extra charge makes attending a game seem like a bargain, and deserves mentioning here.

One goal of the recent renovation was fan comfort, which was accomplished through new, padded, folding seats with cupholders. The addition of more leg room, as well as an orientation of seats facing center court, has created an environment where no seats are ill-advised inside the arena. This added comfort and convenience is worth a few extra points for sure.

Located just off the traffic circle on Teague Boulevard (accessible from Judge Ely Boulevard on the east side of campus) sits the Jacob’s Dream sculpture. This large stone and bronze display, along with the surrounding natural landscaping, provides one of the most desired backdrops for photographic events in the area. Snapping a few images, hopefully during the “golden hour” of daylight, is worthy of special recognition.

Final Thoughts

Abilene Christian University, though one of the newer NCAA Division I athletic departments, has made a commitment to improve its facilities to better compete with its sister institutions. With fan-friendly facilities and an interactive game day presentation, ACU basketball is well worth the visit.

When planning a visit to Abilene for Wildcat basketball, if time allows, visit one of many local restaurants and enjoy some time walking around the campus. Plan to document your visit with selfies or group pictures from Jacob’s Dream before watching your chosen game. General admission seats provide wonderful sightlines, but with a slight upcharge, seats just off the floor are available as well.