The 1998-99 home season gave Hokie fans plenty of drama and excitement as Tech roared to a 15-0 mark in the friendly confines of the Cassell. Going back two games into the 1997-98 season and extending through the 1999-00 opener, Tech won 18 straight at home.

Over the past two seasons, the Hokies posted a 28-3 record in Cassell. The losses in 2001-02 were to eventual national champion Connecticut, a game which was tied with three minutes remaining, and in overtime to Houston in the WNIT semifinals while last season's lone loss was to eventual Elite Eight Villanova.

Equally as impressive as the Hokies' play at home has been the tremendous numbers of people that have come to watch them play. Averaging 5,221 fans per game in 1998-99 and having a sell-out at the 10,052-seat arena, Tech shattered it's women's basketball attendance marks. In the Bonnie Henrickson era Tech has played before 218,965 fans at home, an average of 2,460. Last season, the Hokies averaged 2,780 which ranked 38^th in the nation.

Cassell Coliseum was the site of a sub-regional in the 1999 NCAA Tournament. In that marquee event, the Hokies played in front of packed houses and got wins over St. Peter's and Auburn to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16. The venue will host the 2004 NCAA women's basketball first and second round contests March 21 and 23.

In the past 11 years, Virginia Tech has posted a 127-32 (.799) mark in home games. Overall, the Hokies have compiled a 242-103 record in Cassell Coliseum for a winning percentage of 70.2 in the 27 years they have played in the campus arena. The Tech women have won 68 of their last 81 home games.

On September 17, 1977, Virginia Tech officials and friends dedicated the Coliseum in honor of the late Stuart K. Cassell. Cassell became a member of the University administration in 1945 after 17 years as a student and teacher at Tech. He successfully convinced the Board of Visitors of the need for a modern basketball facility.

Construction for the main portion of the Coliseum began in 1961. It was completed in December, 1964, at a cost of $2.7 million. Built by T.C. Brittain and Company of Decatur, Ga., it houses the basketball arena, locker rooms, two auxiliary gymnasiums, offices and other athletic facilities.

The Jamerson Athletic Center, connected to the rear of Cassell Coliseum, was completed in 1982 and dedicated in the fall of 1983. It is named in honor of J.E. Jamerson and his son, William E. Jamerson, owners of the firm that built the building.

The complex contains administrative and coaching offices, athletic department accounting and business offices, team and coaches' meeting rooms, a weight room and the Gordon D. Bowman Memorial Club Room on the top floor for Hokie Club members.

Prior to the 1988-89 season, a modern, new spring-loaded playing floor was installed in the Coliseum. During 1996-97, the facility was upgraded with a new roof and paint application.

During the 2000-01 season, new video boards were added at both ends of the coliseum which are used for live action and video replays during all games. A seating renovation project was undertaken following the 2001-02. All of the seats were dismantled and shipped to a plant in Michigan where the old paint was stripped off and refinished with elm wood. Through new projects, renovations and maintenance reserve projects, Cassell Coliseum has undergone approximately $2.5 million in improvements over the past two years.

The ambulatory was renovated prior last season and now features more accessible concession areas, new flooring, video monitors which allow fans to watch the action when not in the arena and the addition of HokieStone to many of the entrances to the seating area.