Daily Digs: Duke Preps Phased Upgrade to Baseball Facilities, Clemson's Pavilion and Coliseum Upgrades, and More!

Duke Athletics, in collaboration with LeChase Construction and EwingCole Architecture, has announced a phased enhancement plan for Jack Coombs Field, home of the Blue Devils baseball team. 

The plan aims to celebrate the school's historic baseball program with facility upgrades that better support its competitive future and player development, while dramatically enhancing the spectator experience. It has been separated into phases to strategically meet program and budgetary priorities – field improvements, player performance facilities, and game day/fan experience enhancements.  

The first phase began on Aug. 12, 2024, and will include new dugouts, an updated playing field with new dimensions, new bullpen, outdoor hitting facility, and group hospitality areas behind the outfield fence, upgraded tiered lawn seating on the first base line, a new player development lab/indoor training facility, and upgraded facility lighting and player development technology.  Ongoing fundraising for the project will prioritize a player clubhouse and coaches' office building, an improved entry plaza and gate, additional restrooms, concession/hospitality areas, and broadcast/media space. [Go Duke]

The Clemson University Board of Trustees Finance and Facilities Committee granted Phase II approval on a plan for comprehensive improvements to Swann Pavilion and Littlejohn Coliseum with construction scheduled to commence in December 2024.

Phase I approval was reached in July 2023, which was the initial stage in the project’s progress. The project aims to benefit both men’s and women’s basketball programs with the gymnastics program finishing its first year of competition this past spring. The project includes renovations of more than 51,000 square feet of existing team spaces and 30,000 square feet of new construction at a cost of $40 million.

Anticipated facility improvements include further development of operations and technology in the women’s basketball team spaces, practice gym, offices and recruiting areas. Additionally, the improvements include modernization and expansion to shared strength & conditioning, nutrition, and sports medicine spaces. Some of the newly constructed spaces include men’s basketball team areas, offices, and practice gym. 

Upon completion, each program will have its own designated practice gym, updated offices and team areas, as well as improved performance spaces. Externally, modified site circulation on the exterior along with a new expanded patio and plaza opportunity at the corner of the facility are included for the teams. [Clemson Tigers]

Alumni, faculty, staff, students and community members showed up in large numbers for the Track & Field Complex Dedication on Saturday, Oct. 12 during EMU’s 2024 Homecoming and Family Weekend.

Kirk Shisler ‘81, vice president for advancement, introduced alumni in attendance spanning eight decades. Among them were Bob Hostetler ‘59 who “still runs the 100-meter dash like a jackrabbit,” according to Shisler; Roland Landes, an EMU cross-country coach for nine seasons starting in the ’60s and a 2024 Hall of Honor inductee; Hannah Chappell Dick ‘16, a five-time NCAA DIII All-American EMU runner with countless awards and seven school records; and Ryan Gehman ‘16, a star EMU runner, advocate, and speaker at the 2023 EMU TenTalks.

The program also featured remarks from Carrie Bert ‘97, director of athletics; Ray Ray Taylor, MS ‘24, an All-American track and field athlete; and Jim ‘68 and Gloria Horst Rosenberger ‘70 who put forth an early gift of $600,000 and a recent $400,000 challenge fund to encourage support for the track and field.

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