QUICK FACTS
Official Name: University Credit Union Center
Date Opened: 1977
Seating Capacity: 6,003
Court Named After: Former basketball coach Bob Hamilton
First Game: Men's Basketball: November 26, 1977 vs. Pacific. Women's Basketball: November, 1977 vs. Cal State Los Angeles.
Address: 1 Peter J Shields Avenue, Davis, Calif. 95616
ABOUT UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION CENTER
Thanks to a 10-year partnership between UC Davis and University Credit Union, the home court advantage for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, and women’s gymnastics teams was renamed the University Credit Union Center in July of 2021.
Formerly known as Recreation Hall and The Pavilion, the arena seats 6,003 for basketball games and continues to rank as one of the largest on-campus basketball facilities in Northern California. The arena opened to the sport in the 1977-78 season and has been home to all the excitement of Aggie basketball since that time.
The first official basketball game ever played in the arena was on Nov. 26, 1977, when 2,600 watched the University of the Pacific beat the Aggies, 78-69. On Dec. 9, 1995, the basketball floor inside the arena was renamed Hamilton Court, in honor of former men’s basketball coach Bob Hamilton, who passed away just days prior to the ceremonies.
Built with funds allocated by the students themselves, the University Credit Union Center still provides the student body, staff, faculty, and the community with a superb and diverse recreational facility. In the spring of 2004, the neighboring Activities & Recreation Center (ARC) opened its doors, offering an even wider variety of opportunities.
The arena has undergone a number of changes over the years, most recently with the addition of a 13-foot high, 46-foot wide Daktronics video and scoreboard at the north end of the facility during the 2020-21 season, providing fans with in-game replays and real-time statistics.
In the fall of 2009 as a new seating system with wider aisles was installed as portions of the formerly continuous concrete wall were removed to allow access from the arena-level seating to the concourse. Other improvements have included a new speaker system and – more noticeable – a portable maple playing surface atop a multipurpose floor.
In addition to UC Davis athletic events, the University Credit Union Center has also served as the site for a number of postseason championships, including the USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships, the Pac-10 Conference Wrestling Championships, and numerous NCAA West Region tournaments for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball.
With the Aggies move to Division I in 2008, the University Credit Union Center has been featured on the national stage a number of times, including a game against UC Santa Barbara on ESPNU on Feb. 1, 2024 and the Aggies 2024-25 regular season finale against UC San Diego on March 8, 2025 on ESPN2. The five biggest crowds to pack the University Credit Union Center, since it was reconfigured in 2009, have all taken place during nationally televised UC Davis home games.
The venue has also seen a number of notable achievements attained by the Aggies throughout it's history, including, most recently, UC Davis women's basketball head coach Jennifer Gross breaking the program's all-time wins record with a win over Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 8, 2025.
The California Interscholastic Federation and the Volleyball Festival have also held their respective championship events on Hamilton Court, while the arena has hosted numerous concerts and entertainment events. More recent acts include Don Toliver, Bob Dylan, Steve Miller Band, Ke$ha and Drake; comedian Bill Maher, TeenMania ministries and World Wrestling Entertainment. Both the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors have held preseason games on Hamilton Court.
University Credit Union Center also serves as an annual venue for the university’s commencement ceremonies.
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams have set program attendance records during recent seasons as part of the athletics department’s annual “Break The Record Night” promotion, although the all-time attendance record of 7,926 (men’s basketball vs. Chico State) is no longer attainable in the current configuration.
The women’s record of 4,712 was set on Nov. 14, 2014, when the Aggies welcomed top-ranked and defending national champion UConn to Northern California, while a clash against Bay Area rival Stanford drew 3,366 fans in 2015.
If you're interested in renting the University Credit Union Center to host an event, please visit our Events Services page.
Parking & Directions From the Bay Area
• Travel east on Interstate 80 until reaching turnoff near UC Davis campus for Highway 113 (toward Woodland).
• Exit Hutchison Blvd. and stay right until arrival at intersection of La Rue Road and Hutchison Blvd.
• Turn left on La Rue Road. • Turn right at Orchard Road, which is also the entrance to Lot 25. • Additional visitor parking is available in Lot 35 and the nearby parking structure off Hutchison Blvd.
From Sacramento
• Travel west on Interstate 80 until reaching turnoff near UC Davis campus for Highway 113 (toward Woodland).
• Exit Hutchison Blvd. and stay right until arrival at intersection of La Rue Road and Hutchison Blvd.
• Turn left on La Rue Road. • Turn right at Orchard Road, which is also the entrance to Lot 25. • Additional visitor parking is available in Lot 35 and the nearby parking structure of Hutchison Blvd.
NOTE: University Credit Union Center is also accessible from downtown Davis by traveling west on Fifth Street. That road turns into Russell Blvd. Turn left at La Rue, then turn left into Lot 25.
