Lipscomb Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson and former basketball star can still recall the visceral charm of McQuiddy Gymnasium, where fans were so close they had to make room just to let a player throw an inbound pass. To anyone who saw a game there, it felt less like a modern college campus and more like a scene straight out of the movie Hoosiers. But as Lipscomb University set its sights on the national stage of NCAA Division 1 athletics at the turn of the millennium, the beloved McQuiddy was no longer enough to hold the school’s growing ambitions. McQuiddy Gymnasium This year marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of Allen Arena, a $16.5 million multipurpose facility that officially transformed the university’s skyline in October 2001. What began as a bold investment in the future has become the cornerstone of the Lipscomb experience, bridging the gap between a small college past and a first-class athletic future. “It needed to be a facility that looked more like an NCAA Division 1 facility,” said Steve Potts, who served as athletic director during the arena’s high-stakes transition. “There is no bad seat now.” The journey to Allen Arena was paved by the generosity of alumni, James.C and Linda Allen, whose then-record gift provided the primary funding for the 5,000-seat venue. For the athletic department, the building was more than just steel and brick; it was a message sent to the rest of the Nashville collegiate landscape. By moving into a facility that mirrored the standard of neighbors like Vanderbilt and Belmont, Lipscomb effectively separated itself from its NAIA roots. Potts noted that the move immediately put the university into a new tier of recognition. “I think the message that was trying to be sent was Lipscomb is a first-class institution,” Potts said. “It separated Lipscomb from the Treveccas or from the other NAIA schools in the area.” Allen Arena and parking garage undergoing construction While the aesthetic shift was obvious to the fans, the impact on the court was even more profound. For a program striving to attract elite talent, the 115,000-square-foot facility complete with luxury suites, a 4,500-square-foot weight room, and modern locker rooms became the ultimate recruiting tool. “Recruiting was not easy, and so we had to make sure that our facilities were as good as the other schools that we were competing against,” Hutcheson said. “We could not have the success that we had then and that we have now without the Allen Arena.” The upgrade didn’t just benefit basketball; it also provided a major factor for volleyball and cross-country athletes to choose Lipscomb over competing Division I offers. Beyond the scoreboards and stat sheets, the arena’s first quarter-century has been defined by its role as a bridge to the city of Nashville. In its first year, the arena drew 100,000 people to campus for events that ranged from a lecture by Dell Computer founder Michael Dell to serving as a Red Cross shelter. It also allowed the entire student body to gather for chapel in one group for the first time since the mid-1960s, unifying a campus that had previously been split due to space limitations. “That’s another thing that Allen Arena did; it gave Lipscomb an opportunity to really connect to the city,” Potts said. “There were events that were in Allen Arena that would’ve never happened on campus.” The arena’s “baptism” in 2001 provided a moment that remains etched in the university’s collective memory. During the first men’s basketball game against the University of North Texas, the Bisons trailed for nearly the entire contest. With the clock running out, a freshman from Utah named Clayton Osborn launched a shot from beyond half-court that found the net as the buzzer sounded. “The place was packed, students were running on the court,” Potts recalled. “I’ll never forget that as long as I live.” As the university celebrates 25 years in its “new” home, the arena remains a testament to a period of visionary growth. While a sliced-off portion of the old McQuiddy Gym still exists nearby for intramurals, Allen Arena stands as the definitive symbol of Lipscomb’s first-class aspirations. Allen Arena undergoing construction, with McQuiddy Gymnasium at the top “When people talk about the colleges in Nashville they talk about Belmont, Vanderbilt and Lipscomb now,” Potts said. “It was just important that Lipscomb was part of the conversation.” As Hutcheson reflected on the success of multiple Bison programs over the last quarter-century, he said the impact of the $16.5 million investment was undeniable: “We could not have had the success that we had then and that we have now,” Hutcheson said, “without Allen Arena.” Floor plan of Allen Arena
Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will change how borrowers repay their loans. While current borrowers will not see the immediate changes, students planning to borrow in the future could face fewer repayment options. “Most pieces are set, but things are still evolving,” said Assistant Director of Special Programs David Bender. “By July 1, that’s when students should expect to see everything set in stone.” For students taking out new federal loans after the changes, there will be two repayment plans. One option is a standard repayment plan with fixed monthly payments. Unlike the traditional 10-year plan, the length of repayment will depend on the total loan amount rather than automatically lasting 10 years. The second option is a new income-based plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP. With RAP, monthly payments are based on income, not loan balance. Repayment can last up to 30 years, and any remaining balance after that period can be forgiven. However, that forgiven amount could be taxed. Some details are still being finalized, Bender said, and students should rely on official federal resources for updates. “StudentAid.gov is still the best resource as far as reading up on all those repayment plans and what’s changing,” he said. For many students, understanding repayment plans and long-term costs feels overwhelming. Amelie Burleson, a sophomore social work major, said tracking her loans has been difficult. “I tried to look on the website to see how much interest I’ve earned, but I wasn’t able to figure out the website,” Burleson said. “So, I kind of just gave up because I was confused.” The uncertainty around repayment makes growing balances feel intimidating. “I know I’m accumulating all this money that’s getting worse and worse every year,” she said. “That freaks me out a little bit for sure.” What this means for current borrowers Borrowers who take out loans before July 1 will not be required to change repayment plans immediately. Current borrowers can stay on their existing plan or switch to RAP when it becomes available. Borrowers enrolled in plans such as Parent PLUS, SAVE, PAYE or ICR may need to switch plans by 2028 as those options end. What this means for graduate students Students planning to attend graduate school after 2026 may face stricter borrowing limits. The Federal Grad PLUS loan program, which allowed students to borrow the full cost of attendance, is being eliminated. Federal loans may no longer cover all graduate school expenses, meaning students may have to rely more on private loans, institutional aid or scholarships. “Anytime you’re taking out a loan, assume that you have to pay back the whole loan,” Bender said. Featured image taken by Jacy Stricker.
The winter storm projected for January 2026 hit Lipscomb’s campus in a far different manner than expected. Though the forecast had called for up to 15 inches of snow, the campus saw only two to three inches. The ice that followed, however, would cause a problem. Clinging to all of the trees and power lines both on campus and around Nashville, the ice wreaked havoc. Tree limbs came crashing down all across campus with crashing thuds and rending cracks. Some smaller trees were even fully uprooted by the weight of the ice. Students were advised to avoid walking underneath trees whenever possible and to stay alert when crossing beneath one. Several of the trees exploded, with booms akin to a cannon being fired. The weight of the ice also yanked down power lines across the city. Lipscomb’s power went out around 11 a.m. Sunday, plunging every building on campus into darkness. Students gathered in the Bennett Campus Center – “the Stu,” to students – as soft alarms rang out through the dark building. The Stu’s permanent generator kicked on within the hour, garnering cheers from the students packed into the cafeteria upstairs and studying area downstairs. The cafeteria and Stu remained packed the entire rest of the day, students filling every chair and sofa in the building. Every power outlet was taken advantage of, many with power strips plugged in, as students charged their electronics. Personal televisions were also brought into the Stu and students put on the AFC football championship game and the Stanley Cup playoffs, cheers – and groans – filling the area known as Zebbie’s Lounge. Some students also brought their own PCs and played video games. Toward the evening, students received word that power would not be returned to campus; therefore, heat would not be working in their dorms. They were encouraged to shelter and sleep in other buildings: women from Fanning, Johnson and Elam in Bennett; women from The Bison and The Village in the nursing building; and men from High Rise and The Village in either Shamblin Theater or Sewell Hall. Sewell, Bennett and the nursing building were the only available options on campus with generators running. Students made the most of their powerless day, playing cards in circles on the floor of the Stu, or tackle football in the Quad beside Beaman Library. Groups of students sat together crocheting, weaving friendship bracelets, knitting and painting. Some started a spontaneous worship night in Shamblin, over a hundred students gathering and sitting on the stage to sing together. Some students chose to remain in their dorms for the night, despite the lack of heat, others chose to camp out in the buildings with generators. One girl even set up a tent in the middle of the Stu, and many of the athletes brought air mattresses and set up camp in Allen. The ice is expected to remain in the area for several days, as temperatures continue to hover below freezing. As of 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Lipscomb University is still without power. Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.
Lipscomb Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson and former basketball star can still recall the visceral charm of McQuiddy Gymnasium, where fans were so close they had to make room just to let a player throw an inbound pass. To anyone who saw a game there, it felt less like a modern college campus and more like a scene straight out of the movie Hoosiers. But as Lipscomb University set its sights on the national stage of NCAA Division 1 athletics at the turn of the millennium, the beloved McQuiddy was no longer enough to hold the school’s growing ambitions. McQuiddy Gymnasium This year marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of Allen Arena, a $16.5 million multipurpose facility that officially transformed the university’s skyline in October 2001. What began as a bold investment in the future has become the cornerstone of the Lipscomb experience, bridging the gap between a small college past and a first-class athletic future. “It needed to be a facility that looked more like an NCAA Division 1 facility,” said Steve Potts, who served as athletic director during the arena’s high-stakes transition. “There is no bad seat now.” The journey to Allen Arena was paved by the generosity of alumni, James.C and Linda Allen, whose then-record gift provided the primary funding for the 5,000-seat venue. For the athletic department, the building was more than just steel and brick; it was a message sent to the rest of the Nashville collegiate landscape. By moving into a facility that mirrored the standard of neighbors like Vanderbilt and Belmont, Lipscomb effectively separated itself from its NAIA roots. Potts noted that the move immediately put the university into a new tier of recognition. “I think the message that was trying to be sent was Lipscomb is a first-class institution,” Potts said. “It separated Lipscomb from the Treveccas or from the other NAIA schools in the area.” Allen Arena and parking garage undergoing construction While the aesthetic shift was obvious to the fans, the impact on the court was even more profound. For a program striving to attract elite talent, the 115,000-square-foot facility complete with luxury suites, a 4,500-square-foot weight room, and modern locker rooms became the ultimate recruiting tool. “Recruiting was not easy, and so we had to make sure that our facilities were as good as the other schools that we were competing against,” Hutcheson said. “We could not have the success that we had then and that we have now without the Allen Arena.” The upgrade didn’t just benefit basketball; it also provided a major factor for volleyball and cross-country athletes to choose Lipscomb over competing Division I offers. Beyond the scoreboards and stat sheets, the arena’s first quarter-century has been defined by its role as a bridge to the city of Nashville. In its first year, the arena drew 100,000 people to campus for events that ranged from a lecture by Dell Computer founder Michael Dell to serving as a Red Cross shelter. It also allowed the entire student body to gather for chapel in one group for the first time since the mid-1960s, unifying a campus that had previously been split due to space limitations. “That’s another thing that Allen Arena did; it gave Lipscomb an opportunity to really connect to the city,” Potts said. “There were events that were in Allen Arena that would’ve never happened on campus.” The arena’s “baptism” in 2001 provided a moment that remains etched in the university’s collective memory. During the first men’s basketball game against the University of North Texas, the Bisons trailed for nearly the entire contest. With the clock running out, a freshman from Utah named Clayton Osborn launched a shot from beyond half-court that found the net as the buzzer sounded. “The place was packed, students were running on the court,” Potts recalled. “I’ll never forget that as long as I live.” As the university celebrates 25 years in its “new” home, the arena remains a testament to a period of visionary growth. While a sliced-off portion of the old McQuiddy Gym still exists nearby for intramurals, Allen Arena stands as the definitive symbol of Lipscomb’s first-class aspirations. Allen Arena undergoing construction, with McQuiddy Gymnasium at the top “When people talk about the colleges in Nashville they talk about Belmont, Vanderbilt and Lipscomb now,” Potts said. “It was just important that Lipscomb was part of the conversation.” As Hutcheson reflected on the success of multiple Bison programs over the last quarter-century, he said the impact of the $16.5 million investment was undeniable: “We could not have had the success that we had then and that we have now,” Hutcheson said, “without Allen Arena.” Floor plan of Allen Arena
Starting July 1, 2026, the federal student loan system will change how borrowers repay their loans. While current borrowers will not see the immediate changes, students planning to borrow in the future could face fewer repayment options. “Most pieces are set, but things are still evolving,” said Assistant Director of Special Programs David Bender. “By July 1, that’s when students should expect to see everything set in stone.” For students taking out new federal loans after the changes, there will be two repayment plans. One option is a standard repayment plan with fixed monthly payments. Unlike the traditional 10-year plan, the length of repayment will depend on the total loan amount rather than automatically lasting 10 years. The second option is a new income-based plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP. With RAP, monthly payments are based on income, not loan balance. Repayment can last up to 30 years, and any remaining balance after that period can be forgiven. However, that forgiven amount could be taxed. Some details are still being finalized, Bender said, and students should rely on official federal resources for updates. “StudentAid.gov is still the best resource as far as reading up on all those repayment plans and what’s changing,” he said. For many students, understanding repayment plans and long-term costs feels overwhelming. Amelie Burleson, a sophomore social work major, said tracking her loans has been difficult. “I tried to look on the website to see how much interest I’ve earned, but I wasn’t able to figure out the website,” Burleson said. “So, I kind of just gave up because I was confused.” The uncertainty around repayment makes growing balances feel intimidating. “I know I’m accumulating all this money that’s getting worse and worse every year,” she said. “That freaks me out a little bit for sure.” What this means for current borrowers Borrowers who take out loans before July 1 will not be required to change repayment plans immediately. Current borrowers can stay on their existing plan or switch to RAP when it becomes available. Borrowers enrolled in plans such as Parent PLUS, SAVE, PAYE or ICR may need to switch plans by 2028 as those options end. What this means for graduate students Students planning to attend graduate school after 2026 may face stricter borrowing limits. The Federal Grad PLUS loan program, which allowed students to borrow the full cost of attendance, is being eliminated. Federal loans may no longer cover all graduate school expenses, meaning students may have to rely more on private loans, institutional aid or scholarships. “Anytime you’re taking out a loan, assume that you have to pay back the whole loan,” Bender said. Featured image taken by Jacy Stricker.
The winter storm projected for January 2026 hit Lipscomb’s campus in a far different manner than expected. Though the forecast had called for up to 15 inches of snow, the campus saw only two to three inches. The ice that followed, however, would cause a problem. Clinging to all of the trees and power lines both on campus and around Nashville, the ice wreaked havoc. Tree limbs came crashing down all across campus with crashing thuds and rending cracks. Some smaller trees were even fully uprooted by the weight of the ice. Students were advised to avoid walking underneath trees whenever possible and to stay alert when crossing beneath one. Several of the trees exploded, with booms akin to a cannon being fired. The weight of the ice also yanked down power lines across the city. Lipscomb’s power went out around 11 a.m. Sunday, plunging every building on campus into darkness. Students gathered in the Bennett Campus Center – “the Stu,” to students – as soft alarms rang out through the dark building. The Stu’s permanent generator kicked on within the hour, garnering cheers from the students packed into the cafeteria upstairs and studying area downstairs. The cafeteria and Stu remained packed the entire rest of the day, students filling every chair and sofa in the building. Every power outlet was taken advantage of, many with power strips plugged in, as students charged their electronics. Personal televisions were also brought into the Stu and students put on the AFC football championship game and the Stanley Cup playoffs, cheers – and groans – filling the area known as Zebbie’s Lounge. Some students also brought their own PCs and played video games. Toward the evening, students received word that power would not be returned to campus; therefore, heat would not be working in their dorms. They were encouraged to shelter and sleep in other buildings: women from Fanning, Johnson and Elam in Bennett; women from The Bison and The Village in the nursing building; and men from High Rise and The Village in either Shamblin Theater or Sewell Hall. Sewell, Bennett and the nursing building were the only available options on campus with generators running. Students made the most of their powerless day, playing cards in circles on the floor of the Stu, or tackle football in the Quad beside Beaman Library. Groups of students sat together crocheting, weaving friendship bracelets, knitting and painting. Some started a spontaneous worship night in Shamblin, over a hundred students gathering and sitting on the stage to sing together. Some students chose to remain in their dorms for the night, despite the lack of heat, others chose to camp out in the buildings with generators. One girl even set up a tent in the middle of the Stu, and many of the athletes brought air mattresses and set up camp in Allen. The ice is expected to remain in the area for several days, as temperatures continue to hover below freezing. As of 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Lipscomb University is still without power. Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.