Home to the Braves volleyball, basketball and wrestling, Wilson Field House is one of the iconic buildings on campus which holds Andy Carrier Court. Above the lobby area of the Field House, you will find a variety of coaches offices, as well as a small conference room. Wilson Field House hosted its first collegiate basketball game on Jan. 9, 1948 when the Braves played Bethany College. OU won the contest 68-53.
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Iron 5
Within the lobby, there is a dedication to the "Iron 5" - a memorable men's basketball team whose impact on the history of Ottawa University is still honored and recognized today.
The name “The Iron Five,” refers to A.B. Turner, Blain Rush, Robert Musgrave, Spencer Martin and Bill Frear. Those five played in every game, nearly in its entirety, from 1946 to 1949 and OU won three straight KCAC championships. Three of the five team members had just returned from active duty in WWII, and these five were a credit to Ottawa University in the conduct of their lives after graduation, being coaches, bankers, businessmen, and philanthropists. Frear went on to coach the Ottawa University basketball team from 1955 - 1978 and is second all-time in men's basketball coaching wins (267).
Andy Carrier Court
In the fall of 2019, the court inside of Wilson Field House was officially renamed the Andy Carrier Court. Andy Carrier was head men’s basketball coach for 25 years (1990-2015) at Ottawa university. He is the all-time winningest men’s basketball coach in program history with 328 wins. Under his leadership, the Braves went to five NAIA Division II National Tournaments, earned one NAIA District 10 Championship, three KCAC Championships, and three KCAC Tournament Championships. Carrier led the Braves to a school record 24 wins in 2007-08 and to back-to-back ‘Sweet 16’ appearances (2007-08, 2008-09). He was honored as the NAIA District 10 Coach of the Year in 1993, the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association award in 1994-95 and 2008-2009 and KCAC Coach of the Year in 1994-95, 2001-02 and 2007-08. Carrier has coached 76 All-KCAC performers, four KCAC Players of the year and had seven players earn NAIA All-American honors with five of them earning the honor twice. He has coached three First Team All-District 10 players, seven All-KCAC Freshman Team selections, four All-KCAC Defensive Team selections and one KCAC Freshman of the Year.
Ottawa Herald, Jan. 10, 1948
Ottawa University Braves opened the new Wilson field house last night with a 68 to 53 victory over Bethany College Swedes in a Kansas conference game. 1,500 fans divided the attention between the court battle and the new building.
A couple of rallies sealed the game for Ottawa, After a bad few minutes, the Braves struck swiftly and ran the score to 19 to 9 on neat shots by Blaine Rush, A.B. Turner and Bill Tiegreen.
Midway of the last half, the locals poured in baskets from all directions to build a 61 to 36 lead before relaxing in the final minutes.
The honor of getting the first point in the new building went to a Swede. Kenneth Forsberg - no relation to Coach Wally Forsberg of Ottawa - slipped in a free throw on Rush’s foul a few seconds after the opening whistle.
Turner picked up the first field goal on a pivot shot after a well worked screen. That was the first two points of 21 which the Ottawa center scored during the evening to be high point man of the game.
Bill Tiegreen with his long reach made a hit with the fans when he fought for his seven baskets scored around the basket on a tip-ins and rebound shots. He picked up 15 points during the evening. Rush scored 11 points and Martin got 10 during the evening.
