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Idaho Central Credit Union pays $10 million for naming rights to new Idaho arena

MOSCOW — The new basketball arena being built on the University of Idaho campus will be called Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) Arena. This is due to the $10 million gift Idaho Central Credit Union made toward the project.

ICCU is headquartered in Chubbuck, and first opened in 1940. The credit union has 33 locations across the state.

The 62,000-square-foot, 4,200-seat arena will be a one-of-a-kind engineered wood structure, highlighting Idaho’s wood products industry and providing a unique home for U of I’s basketball programs as well as other activities. The $45 million project already has financial support from the Associated Students of the University of Idaho, the U of I Alumni Association and the U of I Foundation.

For its $10 million gift, ICCU will have the naming rights to the arena for 35 years.

The arena will be built on the north side of the Kibbie Dome. Groundbreaking will occur when funding for the entire project is secured. Currently, $34 million has been raised toward the project.

“The arena project has been a long time coming. With the help of our Vandal supporters we are seeing this vision become a reality. This arena will bolster the student-athlete experience and create an exciting environment for future generations,” Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said.

Opsis Architecture of Portland, Ore., is the architect and Hoffman Construction Company, also of Portland, is the general contractor of the design-build project.

Kauha’aha’a named defensive

line coach at Boise State

BOISE — Boise State has hired Chad Kauha’aha’a as its defensive line coach, head coach Bryan Harsin announced Thursday.

Kauha’aha’a (pronounced cow-ha-a-ha-a) spent each of the last three seasons at Oregon State, serving as the associate head coach for the final two. He coached defensive line for the Beavers all three years, and added outside linebackers in 2016.

He has also coached defensive line at Wisconsin (2013-14), Utah (2011-12), Utah State (2009-10) and Weber State (2005-08), and was the head coach at Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Hawai’i, from 2002-04.

Between stints with the Beavers, Badgers and Utes, 10 student-athletes coached by Kauha’aha’a reached the National Football League. Included was Utah’s Star Lotulelei, a first-round selection by the Carolina Panthers in 2013.

Originally from Maui, Hawai’i, Kauha’aha’a played for Utah from 1993-96, where he garnered All-Mountain West honors in each of his final two seasons.