St. Joseph’s kicked off the celebration of 100 years of Hawks basketball by cutting the ribbon on a new arena named for a former student-athlete. Hagan Arena will host its first men’s basketball game November 13 against Drexel.

The opening culminates 16 months of expansion and renovation of Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, including the summer opening of a basketball practice facility named for former coach Jack Ramsay. The new arena has 1,000 more seats than the fieldhouse and includes premium seating, an upper-level concourse, new ticket entrances, renovated locker rooms and an expanded media room.

Former Hawks golf student-athlete Michael Hagan and his wife, Joyce, led the donations for the project. Hagan is the former chair and CEO of Nutrisystem, Inc.

“The arena is spectacular in every way. But the main thing is that the spirit of Saint Joseph’s University has not changed,” said Phil Martelli, head men’s basketball coach.

The ribbon-cutting included representatives from each decade of Hawks basketball, beginning in the 1930s. Jack Whitaker served as grand marshal.