Longwood University Athletics

View full image

Willett Hall

Willett Hall is the former competition home to Longwood women's and men's basketball and features a capacity of 1,900 as well as chair-back seating and bleachers installed during the summer of 2007. The venue, which transitioned to a practice facility at the conclusion of the 2022-23 basketball season with the completion of the new Joan Perry Brock Center, has a convenient concession area located at the main entrance that was renovated during 2003-04.  Willett Hall, originally completed in 1980 at a cost of $4.5 million, also features four locker rooms, a training room, weight room, swimming pool, and other facilities for intercollegiate athletics at the university.

Further renovations to Willett Hall took place during the summer of 2008, including additional enhancements to the home team locker rooms as well as new paint schemes to the floor. The two locker rooms are now more spacious, approximately 1,200 square feet each, with new carpeting, lockers, restroom and shower facilities.  The Longwood athletics logo at centercourt was re-painted, “Lancers” was added on each side of the floor, and the new 3-point line for men was put on the floor as well.

On Dec. 3, 2016, the playing surface was dedicated and named Jerome Kersey Court in honor of the late, great Jerome Kersey who set many records during his time in the Lancer uniform in the mid 1980s before playing most of his professional career with the NBA's Portland Trailblazers.

Willett Hall has undergone many smaller renovations throughout recent years including a new lighting system, new logos on each wall behind the baskets and retired jerseys such as all-time winningest women's coach Shirley Duncan - who was honored on Jan. 29, 2017 in a home contest against Charleston Southern.

The Athletic Training Center, a 2,600 square foot facility built onto the southeast corner of the building, opened in January of 2008. It contains dedicated areas for treatment, rehabilitation and a physician exam room. Summer of 2006 renovations included new lighting, paint surrounding the floor and at center court, new team and individual banners and phase one of renovations to the home locker rooms that resulted in an expansion in size while upgrading the individual lockers as well.

Longwood honored three former presidents, including Dr. Henry I. Willett Jr., on Sept. 9, 2004 with three major buildings on campus named in their honor. Lancer Hall was renamed Willett Hall for the former president (1967-81) who oversaw the Longwood transformation into a fully coeducational institution.