Dean E. Smith Center 
300 Skipper Bowles Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Building Number: 082
Year Built: 1986
The home of Carolina Men’s Basketball since 1986, the Dean Smith Center has become one of the most recognizable athletic venues in America and is a cherished symbol of Carolina Basketball. The 21,750-seat stadium is named after legendary Carolina basketball head coach Dean Smith, who coached the Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997. Smith, a Kansas native and the son of public school teachers, attended the University of Kansas, where he played varsity basketball and baseball and freshman football. After graduation, he served as an assistant coach at Kansas and then joined the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant. After he left the Air Force, Frank McGuire asked him to join his coaching staff at Carolina as an assistant. After three years as an assistant, Smith replaced McGuire as head coach. He coached Carolina from 1961 to 1997 and retired as the record holder for most wins (879) by a men's Division I coach. Smith led his teams to two national championships, 13 ACC tournament titles, 11 final fours and an NIT championship. He was regarded as an innovator on the court, implemented the highly successful four corners offense, encouraged players who scored to point a finger to the teammate who passed them the ball as an acknowledgement of selflessness, and instituted the practice of starting the team’s seniors at the last home game of the season, often referred to as Senior Day. Smith was also known for his impact beyond basketball: he recruited Charles Scott, the first Black scholarship athlete at Carolina, was a staunch Civil Rights advocate, and graduated 96.6 percent of his players. Smith was honored with the presidential medal of freedom in 2013 and passed away in 2015.
Building Features:
- Gender Neutral Restrooms:
- Floor: 02, Room: 2103, Near Weight Room, Accessible Toilet