126 YEARS IN THE MAKING TAKING CENTER STAGE LONG-AWAITED ON-CAMPUS ATHLETIC FACILITY OPENS AT USC.

Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer

One hundred and twenty six years ago, the founding clergy of USC decided to build a new campus.

Third on the priority list was a sports and entertainment facility. The first two buildings were up before the turn of the 20th century.

Galen Center, USC's first university-owned arena, debuts tonight for a women's volleyball match between the Trojans and Stanford at 7 p.m.

``This is it,'' said senior associate athletic director Carol Dougherty, who was in charge of the arena's construction. ``It took us 126 years to get it done.''

The 10,258-seat facility mixes a classic-style brick exterior that matches the campus with a one-of-a-kind glass-wall view of the downtown skyline.

The arena, which was announced in 1999 and cost slightly more than $100 million to build, will host the men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams, as well as concerts, commencement ceremonies, community events and prominent high school games. It is located directly across the street from the USC campus on the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street.

For the men's basketball team, which opens its season at home Nov. 16 against South Carolina, there is hope that the new arena will help elevate the program to among the nation's elite, allowing the team to compete with crosstown UCLA on a regular basis.

``This is a new beginning for USC basketball, and we all get to be a part of it,'' said forward Nick Young, who has been looking forward to playing in the arena since he committed to the Trojans from Cleveland High in Reseda three years ago. ``But it's also going to raise expectations for us, and we need to go out and show we're worthy of playing there.''

Former men's basketball coach Bob Boyd said there was talk of building an arena before he started as a player at USC in 1950. Those teams played in the North Gym, where the team has practiced in recent years, on stage at the Shrine Auditorium, at the Olympic Auditorium and anywhere else it could find.

In 1959, USC began playing in the Sports Arena, within walking distance of the campus. But that was only for games. The team couldn't practice at the arena because it was used for other events.

In 1970, when Boyd coached the Trojans and the team was having success, he had talks with football coach John McKay and university president Norman Topping about building an arena where Heritage Hall now stands.

Boyd was convinced that something would get done and started selling the idea to recruits. Paul Westphal, who went on to play and coach in the NBA and coach at Pepperdine, was part of that 1970 class.

``It's a funny recruiting story that they were talking about it then like it was right around the corner,'' Westphal said. ``... It just didn't happen.''

Over the years, most programs at USC's level got their own arena. At the same time, the Sports Arena became more outdated. The Clippers, Lakers, Kings and even Bruins once playeed home games at the Sports Arena. But they all left for better facilities, leaving the Trojans as the arena's only tenant.

``In my opinion, it gave a connotation, true or false, that the university didn't care about basketball,'' Boyd said. ``There were brand new buildings all over campus, including new facilities for track and baseball. It's been holding down the program for a while.''

Opposing teams used the Sports Arena as a negative recruiting tool to sway players away from the Trojans.

``It tips recruiting in their favor,'' Westphal said of the new facility. ``I think they can realistically knock on the door of any recruit in the country and have as good a chance as most to land them.''

The new practice facilities in the adjoining 45,000-square foot athletic pavilion, which Dougherty said should be ready for use at the beginning of next month, will give USC nearly as big a boost as the arena itself. The pavilion cost nearly $40 million.

No longer will four teams share a small gym upstairs in the aging physical education building, players for the women's basketball team waiting outside for the men's team to finish practicing, or vice versa. Each team will have its own practice court.

``The bigger thing for recruiting is not the arena but how we can adjust practices now because we have a great practice facility,'' said women's volleyball coach Mick Haley, who is looking forward to christening Galen Center. ``We'll have a state-of-the-art film room for digitizing and cinematographic study of our athletes, our own weight room, biomechanics area, team room, locker room, coaches offices. We'll be able to do things right now.''

Haley and his team won't see a completely finished product tonight. The facility was still very much a construction zone Wednesday when the media took a tour. Originally scheduled to be ready months ago, the arena faced delays in construction because of rain and a steel strike, among other problems. The arena won't be complete today, though all seats, bathrooms and concession stands will be operational.

By the men's basketball opener, Dougherty said the gift shop and hall of fame will be ready. The hall of fame will feature interactive kiosks to tell the history of different USC sports.

Only half of the planned 22 luxury suites are finished, though all are constructed. The remaining 11 won't receive their furnishing until next summer.

``I'm surprised this is actually going to happen,'' Boyd said. ``It's none too soon.''

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HOW IT STARTED...

Frequent talks of USC building an arena never got off the ground in the past because of a lack of fund raising for the project.

This time proved different, in large part due to Louis and Helene Galen, who gave $35 million for the university to begin construction of the Galen Center.

Louis Galen, a 1951 graduate of USC, earned his fortune in the banking business. He founded Lynwood Savings and Loan in 1960, later changing its name to World Savings and eventually merging with Golden West Financial.

Louis Galen proposed to his London-born wife in front of 3,000 people at a USC-Notre Dame football pep rally 28 years ago.

The couple is known for their generosity to Louis' alma mater. In 1997, the Galens donated $1.25 million for a dining and social activities center for athletes. They also gave $300,000 to endow the Helene and Louis Galen Ceramics Studio at the USC School of Fine Arts in 2000.

-- Matthew Kredell

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, 2 boxes, map

Photo:

(1 -- color) A worker cleans the basketball court at USC's Galen Center. The 10,258-seat facility cost a litte more than $100 million to build.

(2 -- color) USC students walk toward Galen Center, which opens tonight.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(3) Women's and men's Volleyball

(4) Men's and women's basketball

(5) HTNB Architect of Los Angeles designed the facility

(6) ARENA SEATING

Illustrations by Jorge Irribarren, and graphics by Warren Huskey/Staff Artist

Box:

(1) HOW IT STARTED...(see text)

- Matthew Kredell

(2) THE GALEN CENTER AT USC

Map:

Getting to the arena

SOURCES: HTNB Architects, Clark Construction, USC Athletic Department, Daily News Research