[media-credit name=’SUNDEEP MALLADI/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]University of Wisconsin athletics holds one of the best home advantages in the nation. While the Badgers men's basketball team won all 19 of its home games this past season, it's not the Kohl Center. Nor is it Camp Randall. However, it is located just off of Breese Terrace.

Since 1930, the UW Field House has provided Wisconsin volleyball with one of the top home-court advantages in the country. And believe it or not, the Field House is nationally recognized.

"The size of our crowds and the history of the building are known nationwide," said UW volleyball head coach Pete Waite in a statement. "The Field House and the fans are two of the major reasons top recruits say they want to play for Wisconsin."

It's even listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

As of late, the Field House has been one of the best places to catch an NCAA volleyball match. Mainly due to its high attendance numbers (second in the nation with 4,328 per contest last season), the Field House hosted the prestigious AVCA Volleyball Showcase last fall, playing host to top-ranked Ohio, Texas and Washington.

Furthermore, Wisconsin has hosted the NCAA tournament's first and second rounds for the past three seasons. While some of that has to do with the Badgers' success in recent seasons (UW has reached at least the Sweet 16 the past three years), most of it has to do with the Field House itself. Some of the best volleyball teams in the nation have missed out on hosting the first and second rounds due to subpar home venues.

Even though Waite has been satisfied with having the start of the tournament at home, he wants a little bit more in 2007. For next season, he is pushing strong for Madison to be one of the regional sites.

With one of the best classes to come through Wisconsin volleyball becoming seniors (starters Jackie Simpson, Taylor Reineke, Jocelyn Wack, as well as key contributors Amanda Berkley, Megan Mills and Maya Carroll), Waite knows having potential Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games at the Field House would be an ideal situation.

"We're going to be putting in for regionals next year," Waite said at a Dec. 4 press conference. "That's something you look at for your team and their strength and their maturity, because had we put in for this year, then we probably wouldn't get it next year, and we've got a group that will hopefully get even stronger next season."

The only thing better would be to host the NCAA championships, as the Field House did in 1993.

But the Field House isn't just the home to Wisconsin volleyball. The UW wrestling team also holds its home matches at the Field House.

Like volleyball, the Badgers' wrestling team has enjoyed success at home in recent years. Last season, Wisconsin's only home losses came to No. 1 Minnesota and No. 9 Illinois.

While only volleyball and wrestling call it home today, the Field House's history includes many more UW teams under its roof.

Prior to the opening of the Kohl Center in 1998, the UW Field House was the premiere sporting venue on campus after football season as both the men's and women's basketball teams played there.

Before Alando Tucker outdid him by 70 points, ex-Badger and current San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Michael Finley became the school's all-time leading scorer in Camp Randall's backyard.

Also, from 1933 to 1960, Wisconsin dominated the NCAA boxing ranks in the Field House.

Since the program's beginning, John Walsh set the standard for coaching in collegiate boxing. In 25 seasons (1933 to 1958), Walsh produced 38 NCAA individual champions and made the Field House the hot ticket on UW's campus.

Wisconsin's boxing team regularly put 15,000 in the seats of what was then known as "The Barn." According to Doug Moe's book "Lords of the Ring: The Triumph and Tragedy of College Boxing's Greatest Team," on the same night 11,000 people went to see heavyweight champion Joe Lewis defend his belt in New York's Madison Square Garden, 15,200 were in attendance for Wisconsin's home dual match with Michigan State.

While the boxing team was cut from UW athletics in 1960, its numerous banners still hang inside the Field House to this date, outnumbering both wrestling and volleyball's awards combined.

And although it may be not be noticeable in the shadows of Camp Randall, the UW Field House remains as one of the most historic athletic facilities in the country.