The names of athletic facilities on Drexel’s campus are well known among the student population. Vidas, the Daskalakis and Buckley, to name a few, are integral parts of Drexel’s campus. However, what may not be as well known to students, is how these campus favorites came to be named.
Robert Buckley played such an influential role in Drexel athletics, that he has three spaces named after him. Drexel students should be familiar with these spaces which include the Buckley tennis courts, the Buckley bubble and the Buckley Green, which has two volleyball courts.
During his time at Drexel, Buckley was a three-sport athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football. From 1958 to 1971, he was the all-time career-scoring leader for men’s basketball, and was inducted into the Drexel Dragons Hall of Fame in 1973. He graduated in 1958 with a degree in Civil Engineering, has served on the University Board of Trustees since 1991 and was inducted into the Drexel Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003.
John Daskalakis is the namesake of the Daskalakis Athletic Center, commonly known as the DAC. The arena was renamed in honor of him in 2000, when he made a $1.5 million donation to the University. Since then, his most recent public donation, in 2012, was a $3 million commitment for renovations to the DAC’s locker rooms, seating areas as well as the creation of an athletics hall of fame.
While at Drexel, Daskalakis was a member of the men’s lacrosse team. He graduated in 1963 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Thomas Kline and Shanin Specter have a long history of supporting Drexel financially and are partners of the renowned Philadelphia law firm Kline & Specter, the same name as the squash center in the DAC.
The Kline & Specter Squash Center was created in 2012, thanks to donations given by Kline. This gift came before his 2014 donation of $50 million to the law school, which led to the school being named after him.
Specter is the son of former Senator Arlen Specter, the namesake of the Arlen Specter Squash Center on 33rd and Arch St. In addition to his support of Drexel Athletics, he also made a $40 million donation to transform the former armory into the current U.S. Squash Center.
James Maguire’s focus on philanthropy led to the creation of Maguire Field within Vidas Athletic Complex. While Maguire did not attend Drexel, his foundation donated $1.5 million to Drexel in partnership with the West Catholic Preparatory High School in 2014. According to Maguire, the creation of this field is intended to benefit West Catholic Prep’s high school football team, giving the team a practice space closer to school.
Vincent Vidas was recognized as one of the greatest football players during his time at Drexel, earning two All-American selections. Due to his achievements and accomplishments, the Drexel Athletic Complex on 43rd and Powelton was renamed the Vidas Athletic Complex.
Vidas graduated in 1959 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1973, and into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003, along with Buckley and Daskalakis. Vidas sadly passed away in 2017 at the age of 86.