Davey L. Whitney Complex

Nestled on the scenic campus of Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, the Davey L. Whitney Complex stands as one of the most iconic athletic and educational facilities in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). With a seating capacity of 7,000, this multi-purpose arena and physical education center serves as the proud home of the Alcorn State Braves men’s and women’s basketball teams and the women’s volleyball team. More than just an arena, the complex is a symbol of athletic tradition, academic advancement, and community pride.

Completed in 1975 at a construction cost of $3.5 million, the Physical Education Complex represented a major step forward for the university’s athletic infrastructure. It replaced outdated facilities and introduced a modern space equipped to host major collegiate events, house physical education instruction, and provide advanced training and recreational amenities for students and athletes alike. Among its most notable features are expansive team locker rooms, a weight training and conditioning area, classrooms, faculty offices, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool—a unique and highly valued resource on campus.

The first official game in the arena was held during the closing contest of the 1974–75 men’s basketball season, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Braves Athletics. Over the decades, the facility has hosted countless historic matchups, including conference tournament games, championship runs, and milestone victories that helped shape Alcorn’s athletic legacy. The venue has also been a vibrant setting for pep rallies, campus events, commencement exercises, and community outreach activities.

In 1993, the facility was renamed in honor of Coach Davey L. Whitney, a towering figure in the history of Alcorn athletics and collegiate basketball at large. Affectionately known as “The Wiz,” Whitney coached the Braves from 1969 to 1989, and again from 1996 to 2003, compiling over 500 career wins and leading the program to nine SWAC Championships and a historic NCAA Tournament victory in 1980—the first by an HBCU in the modern era of the tournament. His ability to develop talent, instill discipline, and inspire excellence earned him national recognition and cemented his place among the greats of college basketball. Naming the facility after Coach Whitney while he was still actively coaching made him one of the few NCAA Division I coaches to compete in a venue bearing his own name.

Today, the Davey L. Whitney Complex remains a cornerstone of campus life and a central hub for athletic achievement, student activity, and educational advancement. It stands not only as a tribute to the legacy of a coaching legend, but also as a living, evolving part of the Alcorn State experience—where tradition meets opportunity, and where future generations continue to write their own chapters in the proud story of Braves athletics.