After fighting for space at the UCCU Center for years, Utah Valley University’s basketball teams now have a home to call their own.

UVU cut the net to the NUVI Basketball Center on Wednesday afternoon signifying the official opening of the facility. Cathy Nixon, UVU women’s basketball coach, has been with the program for 22 seasons. In the June 2016 groundbreaking, Nixon said she had to work around lions, tigers, bears, the circus, motocross and a large variety of shows and businesses that had come to perform at the UCCU Center throughout the years. Now her team can cut its own gym circus act.

Utah Valley University cut down the nets on Wednesday to officially open the NUVI Basketball Center, a new practice and conditioning facility to house its men's and women's basketball teams.

The 14,500-square-foot facility was funded entirely by private donations and sponsorships totaling approximately $4.4 million, including a lead donation from NUVI Chairman and CEO Keith Nellesen.

Sunshine Heroes Foundation with his wife in 2007. He played collegiate basketball for two schools: Utah Valley State College and Brigham Young University, where he earned the Defensive Player of the Year, All- District and All-Conference Honors in basketball while at BYU.

Utah Valley University’s basketball teams have been sharing its gym for years.

Cathy Nixon, who is heading into her 22nd season as UVU women’s basketball head coach, remembers sharing the gym with lions, tigers, bears, the circus, motocross and a large variety of shows and businesses. She even recalls having up to five different UVU sports teams sharing the P.E. gym at once because her team had been displaced for an event being held in the UCCU Center.

Travis Hansen, Kevin Nixon and Brian Santiago, three Utah Valley University stars who carved out big-time careers at BYU and Fresno State, stood by the side and at the back during ceremonies to break ground for a basketball practice facility at their alma mater.

After playing college ball at Utah Valley State College and Brigham Young University, Hansen was drafted No. 37 overall in the NBA draft and joined the Atlanta Hawks. He would go on to play basketball in professional European leagues before he retired in September 2011. He launched Tesani Capital in 2013.