Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Education

San Diego State Names Basketball Court After Steve Fisher

SDSU Basketball coach Steve Fisher has been with the team for 12 seasons.
Courtesy of the San Diego State Athletics Department
SDSU Basketball coach Steve Fisher has been with the team for 12 seasons.

San Diego State University announced Thursday that the basketball court at Viejas Arena has been named for longtime men's head coach Steve Fisher.

Lettering along the sides of the floor say "Steve Fisher Court."

SDSU President Elliot Hirshman said the honor was in recognition of Fisher's service to the university and San Diego community.

Advertisement

Entering his 17th season at the helm of the Aztecs, Fisher turned an annual also-ran into a West Coast power. SDSU has earned nine Mountain West championships during his tenure, won at least 20 games in a season 10 years in a row, appeared in the NCAA Tournament six straight seasons and reached two "Sweet Sixteens" during March Madness.

The revival also extended to game attendance. The arena's seats were mostly empty when he arrived on campus in 1999, when he had a hard time giving tickets away. Basketball games have been sold out at Viejas Arena for several years now, and the school has a long waiting list for season seats.

"I've been very, very fortunate to have people I've worked for, and with, that have been immensely supportive, uniquely understanding the value of college athletics in a university environment, and wanting to assist and make it work the correct way," Fisher said. "So, even though it says `Steve Fisher Court,' it's a product of the team."

Fisher previously was head coach at Michigan for eight full seasons, plus the end of another year when he led the Wolverines to the 1989 national championship.