When fans enter the UAFS Stubblefield Center this fall, they will notice a few cosmetic changes to the home court of the Lions and Lady Lions basketball and volleyball teams.
            A month-long renovation of the court was recently completed and included a complete redesign of the court’s paint scheme and logo along with other notable cosmetic and floor plan changes.
            “The floor was refinished to not only change the look, but also to get in line with the UAFS logo and brand,” UAFS athletic director Dustin Smith said. “The new floor is the product of a lot of work from a lot of people on campus. It truly was a team effort and something our student-athletes, coaches and UAFS fans will take great pride in.”
            The new logo at center court is a combination of the UAFS logo and an artistic rendition of Numa that is similar to the statue that is displayed in front of the Stubblefield Center.
            “The design captures the spirit of Numa, which has become a symbol of pride for UAFS,” Smith said. “Several people from athletics, marketing and the physical plant were involved in the process of selecting the design.”
            Smith praised the collaborative effort of everyone involved, especially UAFS senior graphic designer Peter Cullum, who created the logo design. Sports Floors Inc. was responsible for the refinishing of the court surface, and UAFS plant operations project coordinator Larry Chilton supervised the renovation project.
            “There were a lot of people involved in this process. Peter Cullum in our marketing department did a phenomenal job of putting ideas to paper and should be credited with the design,” Smith said. “We wanted to change the look of the floor to embrace the UAFS logo, and I think we have done that with this design. Larry Chilton supervised the project and did a great job.”
            As part of the project, the scorer’s table will be moved from the west side to the east side, but Smith said all seating in the booster club sections will remain the same.
            “The scorer’s table will be moved to the opposite side of the court for basketball to create a true student section as close to the floor as possible (on the west side),” Smith said. “We want to engage our students and create a true home-court advantage.”
            UAFS will host its first home athletic event at 7 p.m. on Aug. 22 when the volleyball team hosts an intrasquad scrimmage that is free and open to the public.