Learning Just A Little Bit More About The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers

Villanova, Kansas, Michigan and Loyola-Chicago. Which one of these university names does not belong in this group? The obvious answer is of course the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers, whose improbable run to the 2018 Final Four has captivated the world of sports.

While the amazing and heartwarming story of Sister Jean has been well chronicled, outside of Chicago, there is very little known about the school and its sports set up.

The Ramblers are based on the college’s Lake Shore campus, located three miles north of Wrigley Field, along Lake Michigan, on the border of Rogers Park and Edgewater Glen. The Lake Shore campus sits seven miles north of downtown Chicago.

The Missouri Valley Conference program plays its home games at the 5,000-seat Joseph J. Gentile Arena, which was originally constructed in 1996 and further renovated in 2011 (pictured upper right and below).

The Rambler athletic programs are based right next door at the Norville Center for Intercollegiate Athletics, which was constructed in 2011, the same year as the Gentile Arena renovation.

The basketball teams practices between Gentile Arena and the Halas Gym, named after the founder of the Chicago Bears, the legendary George Halas.

Construction is set to begin on a brand new basketball and volleyball practice complex, the Alfie Norville Practice Facility, later this year.