University of Minnesota Crookston Athletics

Lysaker Gymnasium is one of the premier basketball and volleyball venues in the Northern Red River Valley. It is the home of University of Minnesota Crookston men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball and has been since 1981. It contains three full-sized courts and can seat 2,200 for basketball and volleyball. The facility is one of Northwest Minnesota's premier sports venue and regularly houses section basketball tournaments during the calendar year. It was named in honor for former UMC athletic director Herschel "Hersch" Lysaker, who was athletic director from 1966-78. Lysaker Gymnasium received a remodel in 2019 with state-of-the-art bleachers, a new sound system courtesy of NLFX in Bemidji, Minn., and a brand new state-of-the-art Keemotion live stream and instant replay camera system. The remodel is the first phase of a multi-phase project. 
 

Lysaker received the UMC Torch and Shield Service Award in 1975 for his outstanding contribution to the college community. In 1977 he was inducted into the Minnesota Football Hall of Fame. Lysaker began his work for the campus in 1944, when he joined the staff of the NWSA as athletic director and home projects supervisor. He spent a total of 44 years in education, including his previous service at high schools in Adams, N.D., Northwood, N.D., Warren, Minn., and Crookston, Minn.

The court at Lysaker Gymnasium was officially named Gary Senske Court in 2020, in honor of long-time Minnesota Crookston men's basketball coach Gary Senske, who coached the program from 1981-02. Senske is one of the most successful coaches in Minnesota Crookston athletics history. He is inducted into the UMN Crookston Athletics Hall of Fame. The Lysaker Gymnasium floor project was completed by the H2I Group. The floor, originally installed prior to the 2007-08 season, had not been sanded down and repainted in the 13-year span. The new paint scheme includes “Gary Senske Court” on the south side of the floor, “Minnesota Crookston” on the north side of the floor, “Golden Eagles” on both baselines, “M Crookston” logos in white in all four corners on the north and south side, and gold “NSIC” logos just under the free throw line on the east and west sides. In addition, the Golden Eagle logo was enlarged from the previous iteration. One of the more noticeable changes is a lighter stain on the majority of the floor, with a darker “spice brown” stain inside the three-point arc on both the east and west sides.