Originally opened in 1957 as the home of NIU basketball, Chick Evans Field House has once again become a home of Huskie Athletics thanks to the generous contributions of Dave and Linda Nelson as the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House.
Huskie Men’s and Women’s Tennis made its initial move into the historic venue in during the 2017-18 season as three courts were added to the facility, giving NIU tennis an indoor home on campus.
The facility received additional upgrades in 2022 with the addition of a fourth court and the resurfacing of the existing three courts. Along with the four new courts, new netting surrounding the courts, interior painting and a new scoreboard was added to the facility as it became officially known as the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House.
Along with the playing courts, the facility also houses locker rooms for both the Huskie men’s and women’s tennis teams.
Prior to its renovation for Huskie Tennis, Chick Evans Field House was the home for NIU Basketball from 1956 until the opening of the Convocation Center in 2002. Named in honor of longtime NIU Athletic Director George “Chick” Evans, the building was originally known as Northern Field House and was renamed in honor of Evans during the university’s Diamond Jubilee 75th anniversary celebration in May of 1974.
After breaking ground on April 26, 1956, the field house was dedicated on October 13, 1957, on Homecoming Weekend. Designed by architects Perkins and Will and built by the J.L. Simmons Company, the venue had an initial capacity of 4,053, which was expanded to 6,076 prior to the 1973-74 season.
The first basketball game played in the facility was between DeKalb High School and Freeport High School on November 29, 1957. NIU’s first varsity contest in the field house was a 79-68 victory over Winona State on December 3, 1957.
In addition to Athletics, the field house has been used by the NIU Recreation Department as well as the NIU ROTC program.
