The Baseline Tennis Center is the new home of Golden Gopher Tennis. Opened in the fall of 2002, the new on-campus facility provides the University of Minnesota with one of the premier collegiate tennis venues in the nation.
The Baseline Tennis Center was built in conjunction with Ridder Arena, the University of Minnesota's Women's Hockey Program's new home. Through a lead gift of $500,000 from Bob and Kathleen Ridder and $1.5 million dollars which was raised by the Baseline Club, the University of Minnesota boasts some of the nation's top facilities.
The Baseline Tennis Center, which houses both the men's and women's tennis teams, includes a spacious players' lounge, in addition to team locker rooms and coaches' and officials’ locker rooms. The tennis teams share an enormous weight room with their Golden Gopher women's hockey counterparts.
The facility features 18 signature maroon and gold courts, 10 inside and eight outside. The indoor courts have 30-foot ceilings and are heated during the winter and air-conditioned in the summer. The courts have a plexi-type of pavement that provides more cushion than typical hard courts. The softer surface is designed to prevent injuries by causing less stress on the athletes' knees and other joints.
Spectators can watch all the action from the bleachers which overlook the six main indoor courts. The electronic bleachers feature chair-back seating and will be able to hold as much as 500 fans. A scoreboard and state-of-the-art sound system will keep the spectators informed of all the action.
Located on the spectator level is a club room for men's Baseline Club and the women's Courtside Club. It features a kitchen for private parties and pre-match receptions.
Beyond court and specator perks, which also includes concession stands, work is underway to construct an outdoor plaza with picnic tables and a gazebo. The front entrance will feature a Hall of Fame room with a mural and trophy cases celebrating Golden Gopher Tennis.
In just its first two months of operation, the Baseline Tennis Center has successfully hosted the Minnesota Invitational, a six-team men's tournament, as well as, the Big Ten Men's Singles Championship. The Golden Gopher Women's Tennis Team will host the Minnesota Court Classic in early February.
