ORU Athletics opens Mike Carter Athletic Center

Oral Roberts University and the Oral Roberts Athletic Department recently cut the ribbon on the brand-new Mike Carter Athletic Center.

At almost 50,000-square-foot feet, the new MCAC houses basketball practice courts, administrative and coaches offices, and a 10,000-square-foot indoor sports performance area. Located southeast of the Mabee Center, the new athletic center is also home to the ELI (Education, Learning, Integrity) Academic Center, which includes individual and group study areas and dedicated team rooms.

“We are committed to achieving excellence at the highest levels, both on the fields/courts of play and off,” ORU Athletic Director Tim Johnson said. “This building will be nothing short of a quantum leap for ORU’s coaches and student-athletes! The past few years have seen Sweet 16’s, multiple championships, national rankings, record GPAs, conference/national awards, and NCAA Tournament success across all sports, but the MCAC will guarantee ORU’s best days are before it! We cannot thank our donors, staff, coaches, student-athletes, and President Wilson enough for their commitment and partnership in this endeavor to continue to ensure ORU Athletics not only keeps its current momentum but exceeds it.”

The new three-story athletic center features two NCAA regulation courts for men’s and women’s basketball, an expansive sports performance space, a stadium-style meeting room along with 30 administrative and coaches offices. This $15 million center is named in honor of ORU Athletic Director Emeritus Mike Carter, who now serves as the university’s Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations.

“The Mike Carter Athletic Center is part of ORU’s ongoing commitment to excellence in academics and athletics,” ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson said. “This state-of-the-art facility is an inclusive opportunity for our student-athletes to elevate their achievements on the court, in the classroom, and in the arena of life. This new building comes at a historic time for ORU Athletics; men’s basketball has seen continued success in the NCAA Tournament, and ORU Baseball is one of the premier college programs in America. As one of the four new buildings in this phase of expansion, the MCAC will elevate ORU in all sports and prepare our student-athletes to thrive at both the collegiate and professional levels.”

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“I am humbled and honored that Dr. Wilson and the Board of Trustees would name the new athletic center after me,” Mike Carter said. “But, the credit for this wonderful facility goes to the student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators who have served this University so well. The new athletic center will help our athletic programs grow, and I look forward to watching our athletes compete at a higher level.”

The MCAC’s opening comes at a time when ORU is experiencing historic growth. For 14 consecutive years, ORU’s enrollment has increased, and in the fall of 2022, ORU surpassed 5,000 students for the first time in history. The University’s innovative technologies, residential and online academic programs, and faculty resources continue to develop Spirit-empowered leaders for global engagement.