Clarence E. Gaines Center
The Clarence E. Gaines Center, known simply as “The Gaines Center” is the primary site in with the Winston-Salem State University Rams men’s and women’s basketball teams compete. It serves as not only the competition site, but also as the primary practice facility for both teams.
Seating around 2,750, the attendance at most of the Rams’ men’s and women’s basketball games is almost always at capacity with a crowd that makes the arena a tough place for Rams opponents.
The playing surface, constructed of premium quality hardwood, was installed in the fall of 2014 and it is resurfaced every year to optimize playing conditions. When fans pack the Gaines Center to watch WSSU take on opposing teams the arena becomes a sea of raucous fans and the temperature inside rises to resemble the heat of a North Carolina summer.
A classic NCAA Division II arena, the Gaines Center was constructed in 1981 and hosted its first basketball contest in November of that same year. The arena is named for the legendary WSSU basketball coach and one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history. Clarence E. “Big House” Gaines. The arena features rows of championship banners that hang from the ceilings, demonstrating the championship history of Rams athletics. It serves as a testament to the history and tradition of Winston-Salem State University athletics.
