Saint Vincent College's brand-new Dunlap Family Athletic and Recreation Center is about to get its biggest workout yet, hosting a basketball shootout this Saturday and Sunday that will bring 22 teams and 25 games to the Latrobe campus. The event splits boys and girls action across the facility's two basketball courts, with the girls bracket running both days and capping off with a championship game Sunday afternoon.
The $26 million facility opened as a major addition to Saint Vincent's campus, and this weekend marks one of its most ambitious community uses since the doors opened, according to TribLIVE. The 76,000-square-foot building sits next to the Fred M. Rogers Center and includes not just the two basketball courts but a 70-yard indoor artificial turf field and an indoor running track, according to Langan. That kind of multi-sport footprint is part of why the building has quickly become more than just a varsity practice space.
Saint Vincent Athletic Director and Head Men's Basketball Coach D.P. Harris said the college wants to see the new building used, not just admired. Per the TribLIVE report, Harris said Saint Vincent should open the facility to the community for opportunities to use it — a philosophy this weekend's packed schedule puts directly into practice.
A Weekend Built Around Two Courts
Saturday's boys tournament tips off at 10 a.m. with Airborne Christian facing Franklin Regional and Seton La Salle meeting Hempfield, the same report notes. The day continues with Airborne Christian against OLSH and Seton La Salle against Franklin Regional at 11 a.m., then a 2 p.m. slate pairing Hempfield against 757, OLSH against Penn Hills, and Elizabeth Forward against Wheeling Park. The boys bracket wraps with 3 p.m. matchups between Elizabeth Forward and Penn Hills, and Wheeling Park against 757.
The girls tournament spans both days, opening Saturday at noon with Connellsville facing Jeannette and Blackhawk taking on Greensburg Central Catholic, the same account states. Obama Academy and Chartiers Valley follow at 1 p.m., before a 4 p.m. round pits Jeannette against Greensburg Central Catholic and Blackhawk against Obama Academy. Perry and Chartiers Valley close out Saturday's girls action at 5 p.m.
Sunday's Slate Crowns a Champion
Sunday's girls schedule opens at 10 a.m. with Neshannock against Connellsville and Perry against Southern Garrett, followed by Beaver Falls versus Obama Academy at 11 a.m., per the same report. A noon round sends Neshannock against Southern Garrett and Greensburg Central Catholic against Perry, before 1 p.m. matchups pair Greensburg Central Catholic against Chartiers Valley and Beaver Falls against Connellsville. The final regular slate at 2 p.m. features Neshannock versus Jeannette and Southern Garrett versus Beaver Falls, with the championship game set for 3 p.m. Sunday.
Among the girls programs in the field, Greensburg Central Catholic arrives as reigning PIAA Class 3A state champion, having claimed the title in March — the program's second state crown and its first since 1997, according to TribLIVE. Blackhawk, meanwhile, brings its own pedigree to Latrobe, holding eight WPIAL girls championship titles, per WPIAL.
A Facility Years in the Making
The Dunlap Center broke ground in September 2022, with primary private financial backing coming from the family of the late Ed Dunlap, founder of Canonsburg-based commercial roofing contractor CentiMark Corporation, according to TribLIVE's earlier reporting. Construction was also supported by public funding, including a $1.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant awarded by Pennsylvania state officials, the same report notes.
The building has already proven useful beyond basketball. The Pittsburgh Steelers practiced there during rainy stretches of training camp, continuing one of the longest continuous training camp host relationships in NFL history — the Steelers have trained on Saint Vincent's campus every summer since 1966, according to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steelers President Art Rooney II also chairs Saint Vincent's Board of Directors, a leadership tie that spans generations between the franchise and the college, per Saint Vincent College.
Harris Brings Deep Program Roots
Harris, who was named full-time Director of Athletics in July 2024 after serving in an interim role following the retirement of longtime athletic director Father Myron Kirsch, also continues to coach the Bearcats, according to Saint Vincent Athletics. He logged his 400th career college coaching victory in December 2024 during his 19th season at the helm, per TribLIVE's earlier coverage of that milestone. Saint Vincent competes as an NCAA Division III institution within the Presidents' Athletic Conference, sponsoring 23 varsity sports teams, per the same athletics department listing.
With the Dunlap Center now fully open and hosting events like this weekend's shootout, Saint Vincent appears intent on turning the facility into a recurring gathering spot for the region's high school basketball community — one Harris has suggested should stay open to local programs looking for a stage to play on.
