Christl Arena

The Holleder Center houses not only the Edward C. Christl Jr. Arena that seats 5,043 for basketball, but the Joseph S. and Frederic H.S. Tate Rink that seats 2,648 for ice hockey as well. The building, dedicated Oct. 1, 1988, was named for Maj. Donald W. Holleder (USMA ’56), who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1967. While at West Point, Holleder excelled both in basketball and football. He earned All-America honors in the latter, and has been enshrined in the College Football Foundation Hall of Fame.

The basketball arena was named for 1st Lt. Edward C. Christl Jr. (USMA ’44), who was killed in Austria in 1945. Elected basketball team captain during his senior year, Christl led the Cadets to a perfect 15-0 record.

The building is constructed of concrete and steel-framed masonry complete with spectator and support facilities. It contains two concession areas, an Army Athletic Association gift shop, ticket office, sports medicine room, storage areas and offices for coaching and administrative personnel for both the basketball and hockey programs.

Christl Arena possesses a Horner hardwood basketball floor, which was completely refurbished and repainted during the summer of 2015. The floor measures 149x116 feet. Shower and locker room facilities for Army’s men’s and women’s squads, plus three visiting locker rooms are located close by. The arena also contains six portable basketball supports, fixed chair and bench seating for spectators.

In addition to the new floor, Christl Arena and the Army basketball facilities underwent dramatic changes in 2012. The aesthetics of the concourse areas on both sides of the arena were enhanced with photos depicting both Army’s past basketball success and West Point cadet life. Even more improvements happened during the 2014-15 season with the modernizing and standardizing of the arena’s banners.

During the 1999-2000 season, the Academy enhanced patrons’ game-viewing pleasure by replacing the four-sided overhead scoreboard at midcourt with two wall-mounted units.

Then, just before the start of the 2025-26 season, the scoreboards were replaced by state-of-the-art videoboards. The videoboards, located on the north and south walls of Christl Arena, features digital displays that shows interactive videos, advertisements, plus player point and foul totals, helping amplify the overall fan experience inside Christl Arena.

More improvements were made prior to the 2008-09 season with the addition of 50 courtside seats. The row of seating allows fans to sit right next to the action and improve the overall atmosphere of game day in the arena.

Christl Arena has been host to other sporting events such as international volleyball and gymnastics meets and exhibition basketball contests. It has also been the site of various intercollegiate and high school championship tournaments. Prior to the start of the 2014-15 seasons, the building hosted the U.S. Men’s Basketball National Team during its preparation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Team USA held an open pracitce which was televised live by ESPN2.

Following Team USA’s visit, the New York Knickerbockers brought their annual training camp back to West Point for the first time since 1967. The Knicks spent the better part of a week on post and practiced exclusively at Christl Arena.

Christl Arena welcomed network television cameras for the first time in February 1996 when CBS Sports Network broadcasted the Army-Navy tilt to a regional audience. Christl has served as a backdrop for national television audiences ever since.

Christl Arena has hosted quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the Patriot League men’s and women’s basketball tournaments numerous times since 1994-95. The arena also housed the 2010 and 2017 NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championship.

Army West Point Athletics