Straugh Gymnasium

The Straugh gymnasium opened for athletic competition in the 1968-69 seasons and is home to the Montana Western Men's and Women's Basketball and Volleyball teams. The gym has a capacity of 1328.

The Straugh Gymnasium was dedicated April, 23, 1983 in acknowledgement of the sportsmanship, leadership, and humanitarianism epitomized by Bill Straugh, professor and athletic director, emeritus.

During his 36 year tenure at Western, Straugh complied one of most impressive records in Montana. Among his achievements were 22 championships-ten track, nine basketball,two football, and one baseball. Under his guidance, Western teams were victorious in 361 of 591 outings, earning nine Montana Collegiate Conference trophies and five berths in the NAIA finals. In 1973, he was elected to the exclusive NAIA "Hall of Fame"

A native of Idaho, Bill attended White Sulphur Springs High School. He graduated from Western in 1935 and coached five years at Glasgow before returning to Western in 1940. His long and distinguished career at Western was interrupted by three years service during World War II. He was a Lt. Commander, Ret., U.S. Naval Reserve. Bill departed the coaching ranks in 1968 but continued as Western's Athletic Director until his retirement in 1976.

In the summer of 2018 the original floor was replaced as part of a enhancements to the facility. Remodel Photo Gallery

The original floor, which has seen numerous championships (11 men's basketball, five women's basketball, and three for volleyball), was at the end of its life and replaced with a state of the art competition hardwood manufactured by Connor Sports, the company that builds the floors for the NCAA Championships and many NBA teams. It was installed by Northern Hardwoods out of Spokane, Washington. The useful life expectancy of the new hardwood is at least 50 years.

The highlight of the new floor is at center court which boasts a large version of the UMW Bulldog head, stretching nearly 20 feet long. The keys are stained a light grey with baselines and sidelines being three-feet wide with "bulldogs" written inside them and "The University of Montana Western" along the sideline.

While the new hardwood and paint design are certainly the most eye catching features of the Straugh upgrade, several other improvements were a part of the project. New scorer's tables were purchased, with an LED section which allows for interactive player introductions and the ability to promote campus activities and celebrate corporate partnerships.

The walls received a fresh coat of paint and new championship banners representing each sport now adorn the walls on the east end. New basketball backboards and goals as well as new players bench chairs round out the list of enhancements.

The Bulldog women's basketball team christened the new floor with a 30-4 season which culminated in a conference title and NAIA Div I National Championship.