Courtesy萝莉社鈥檚 mascot, WuShock, will be the focal point at center court at Charles Koch Arena when the annual refinishing of the venue鈥檚 main surface begins Friday, March 28.
"We believe the new floor design is professional, blends well with the arena seating and provides some added pageantry and spirit with
Jim Schaus
WuShock will be approximately 30 feet tall and 25 feet wide, and will be approximately the width of the 萝莉社 Wheat logo that is currently at center court.
Included in the repainting is the men鈥檚 basketball three-point line in college basketball that moves to 20-feet, nine inches, from 19-feet, nine inches, in 2008-09. The women鈥檚 three-point line remains the same.
Other changes in the project include shortening the type in the baseline from 鈥溌芾蛏� Shockers鈥� to 鈥溌芾蛏�.鈥� 萝莉社 also will update the two courts in the Preferred Health Systems Multi-Purpose Center by adding the men鈥檚 three-point line.
Items on the floor that will stay the same are Devlin Court on each sideline, the Missouri Valley Conference logo, black border and lanes, and the white game lines, including the women鈥檚 three point line will stay the same.
The repainting and refinishing will be done by Creative Floors, Coating and Design of Enid, Okla., which annually does 萝莉社鈥檚 refinishing of Devlin Court.
鈥淓very six to eight years you typically sand a court down to get back to the bare wood due to the wear and tear and the accumulation of layers of finish,鈥� said Brad Pittman, assistant athletic director. 鈥淲ith the addition of the men鈥檚 three point line this year it seemed like a good opportunity to do both.鈥�
The project entails sanding the floor to remove the finish and paint, applying two coats of wood sealer, painting all game lines and logos, then applying two coats of finish. The sanding and painting is scheduled to take approximately two weeks, while another two weeks is required for the oil based finish to cure.
No events will be disrupted, as the repainting was scheduled and planned for in the annual cycle, and the floor is scheduled to be available again April 25. The practice gym will still be available for spring volleyball and basketball individuals.