Robbins Helps Auburn University Upgrade Coliseum

Auburn joins other elite programs using Bio-Channel Classic®

Cincinnati, OH, July 13, 2006 – Auburn University’s Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum begins its 35th year of service to the University with a new look made possible by Robbins Sports Surfaces and its Authorized Dealer - Covington Flooring Company, Inc. The very first game played in the Coliseum on January 11, 1969, pitted the Home team against LSU and fabled “Pistol-Pete” Maravich. The Tigers downed LSU 90-71 before 11,166 fans. Maravich went on to become the all-time leading NCAA scorer, averaging a staggering 44.2 points per game, all without the benefit of a 3-point line.

Auburn University continued its path of athletic excellence by posting an impressive 285-135 (.679) record on their home court. Numerous Auburn athletes have excelled on the court but none as famous as Auburn alum, Charles Barkley, a former All-SEC basketball power forward. The “Round Mound of Rebound” was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA in 1993. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Barkley won the Olympic gold medal with the U.S. Dream Teams in the 1992 and 1996 Games. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

In addition to basketball, Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum has also served as home for the varsity indoor track squad. The indoor track, laid out around the perimeter of the arena floor (12 laps to the mile) was only the second such facility in the SEC when it was constructed. The original Tartan surface was one of the first installed in the Southeastern Conference and remained in play until Auburn purchased a portable maple floor for basketball events.

In an effort to upgrade the facility and provide a powerful recruiting tool for Varsity Basketball, Auburn officials began a search for a permanent maple floor to be installed in the Coliseum. Meeting with Robbins representative, Tommy Ellison and Covington President, Joe Covington, Auburn Associate AD, Jeffrey Steele soon discovered the only basketball floor needing consideration was Robbins Bio-Channel Classic®. Discussions with other coaches and Athletic Directors around the country, along with the impressive list of Bio-Channel Installations at Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Colorado State led Steele to specify the Robbins system with confidence.

"The selection of the Robbins floor will provide our student-athletes with, what we believe is the finest basketball competition surface on the market today. We have been pleased with every aspect of the process. Covington Flooring exceeded all our expectations during the installation process. The new arena floor at Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum will greatly enhance the basketball experience at Auburn University for student-athletes and guests alike."

The Coliseum project contains approximately 26,000 square feet of maple installed in the arena over the existing Tartan surface. A unique design of the floor also creates a focal point drawing the eye to the main court. Because the University faced a deadline for graduation and summer basketball camps, the schedule was fast-tracked to provide a new floor in 10 weeks. Covington crews not only completed the task in time, but actually finished the work ahead of schedule.

Robbins, Inc. is the premier supplier of high performance maple and synthetic sports flooring systems to the arena, education, religious and fitness markets. In more than 60 nations around the world athletes compete and practice on millions of square meters of Robbins’ Sport Surfaces. Professional and amateur alike know that when they play on a high performance Robbins’ system they’ll be able to play at peak levels, safely and comfortably.

For more information, please call Robbins Sports Surfaces at 1-800-543-1913, email us at info@robbinsfloor.com, or visit http://www.robbinsfloor.com.