Regents approve Donald R. Shepherd Softball Center
Pretty nice that a great program like softball is getting really nice upgrades. Here is the MGoBlue release- http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/101912aaa.html
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Board of Regents approved the construction of a new softball center and the appointment of an architect for the project, announced today (Friday, Oct. 19) during their annual monthly meeting held at the U-M Flint campus. The $4 million Donald R. Shepherd Softball Center will replace the current softball services building adjacent to the Wilpon Complex's Alumni Field.
"The commitment that the University of Michigan is making to our softball program is second to none," said head softball coach Carol Hutchins. "The Donald R. Shepherd Softball Center will give our program what we need to continue our success at the Big Ten and national levels. This new facility, coupled with Alumni Field, will give us one of the premier softball venues in the country. We are excited for what the future holds for Michigan softball."
The new softball center will be built on the footprint of the existing building that houses the team locker room, meeting space and an athletic medicine area. The 10,000-square-foot facility will include locker rooms for players and coaches, staff offices, a team meeting room, athletic medicine and fitness spaces, and support areas.
"We have one of the nation's elite softball programs, and this facility will help us to continue striving for championships," said Dave Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. "The Shepherd Softball Center will consolidate all of our team, coaching and support functions into one location adjacent to our first-class competition venue."
The resources needed for the project will be provided from athletic department resources and/or gifts to the facility.
A piece of South Campus has been completed with this. Exciting news.
Project | Est Amount | Est Date | Status |
Schembechler Hall Renovation | $9,000,000 | 2/1/2013 | Approved |
Ocker Field Facilties, Expansion | $9,500,000 | 3/1/2013 | Approved |
Michigan Stadium painting project | $6,000,000 | 2/1/2013 | Approved |
Shepherd Softball Center | $4,000,000 | 6/1/2013 | Approved |
Scoreboards for various venues | $4,000,000 | 1/1/2014 | Pending |
Lacrosse Stadium, Facilities | $12,000,000 | 3/1/2014 | Pending |
Strength & Conditioning, Rowing Facilities | $25,000,000 | 3/1/2015 | Pending |
Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field facilities | $90,000,000 | 3/1/2015 | Pending |
Yost Ice Arena ice plant replacement | $3,200,000 | 4/1/2015 | Pending |
Canham Natatorium expansion/renovation | $20,000,000 | 3/1/2017 | Pending |
Gymnastics/Volleyball/Wrestling arena | $30,000,000 | 6/1/2017 | Pending |
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^
Damn, our athletic department is rolling in money. Adding all of the estimated amounts totals about $213 million.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:30 PM ^
Long overdue. Hutch has been fantastic for our program and it's about time softball got some of the love they deserve. I can't wait to see what South Campus is going to look like when all these changes are complete!
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:26 PM ^
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:47 PM ^
and heard stories about, Michigan Softball hasn't really been lacking in facilities. This looks to me like a move from "very good" to "world class". I could be wrong of course, a lot of what I've seen doesn't belong to the elite softball teams, so my stories are secondhand.
Sidenote, I've heard Tennessee has the best softball facilities in the country so...yeah.
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:39 PM ^
to Tenn field in Knoxville. It is awesome. They love SB as much as we do.
I had the opportunity to see the plans and it will be top self. It will be a recruiting plus. I cant wait for this to get started.
I was going to post this on Wednesday after the staee banter died down but thanks WD for the post.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:32 PM ^
...deserve the best.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:39 PM ^
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^
Not trying to start an argument, but you can thank Bill Martin for getting the athletic department as financially well off as it is now. The Regents have no reason to say no to these ideas because the Athletic Dept. is doing very well now.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^
This is likely because anything that gets presented to the Regents is the result of meticulous planning and forecasting. The Board of Regents vote is not a formality, but if the Athletic Department presents them with a project that is well planned, paid for (or carefully financed), they don't have much of a reason to say no.
Brandon - "Can we spend athletic department money to improve campus?"
Board - "Sure."
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:41 PM ^
there was some discussions amoungst the Regents. Bill Martin was a great fundraiser and investor. Skills picking a head football coach? Not so much.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^
I would guess the negotiations happen behind closed doors, and you pretty much only hear about the successful ones. I doubt any athletic department has a blank check.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:45 PM ^
that anything that's as big as this proposal is a known "yea" or "nay" before it ever gets sent to the Regents. There are only eight of them, so sizing up the vote before proposing nine-figure investments probably isn't all that hard.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:47 PM ^
Word on the street is they are going to paint up the plain looking boxes. Me thinks there will be championship years painted on them. National on one, B1G on the other.
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:44 PM ^
Wow, Rowing S&C is pretty darn expensive
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
That $25 million is actually for S&C, rowing, and soccer facilities; the new S&C facilities are not just for rowing. Here's the description from the "Future of South Campus" page at mgoblue.com:
New Strength & Conditioning Facilities
We are going to create an impressive, innovative, and envied Athletic Training Facility in two centralized locations. One will be housed right next to the administration building and will allow strength and conditioning access to athletes on the north end of South Campus while the other will be located on the south end.
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:43 PM ^
between different teams.
October 22nd, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:11 PM ^
I just came in here to say what a great man he is. For a good read, check out the story on how he came to be a benefactor for the gymnastics program. From what I understand, he just decided to up and DO it because it needed doing and no one else was stepping forward.
October 22nd, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
Why are the indoor and outdoor track facilities supposed to cost $90 Million? Isn't it just an oval of concrete. With a roof over such an oval for indoor track? Seems to me like that would be, by far, the cheapest facility to build. They really don't need to put in significant stands or concessions unless they are hoping to host tournaments. Can anyone explain?
~Herm
October 22nd, 2012 at 8:10 PM ^
I'm assuming the indoor building will include lockerrooms, team meeting rooms, coaches offices, stands for spectators (see South Campus site), concessions, championship banners etc. Michigan really does it up big with their facilities.
Plus, the amount there also includes the price the demolition of the U-M Indoor Track Building and Ferry Field will cost. Yes, you read that right. Ferry Field, the home field to Michigan football prior to Michigan Stadium is going to become a parking lot.
October 22nd, 2012 at 10:25 PM ^
Track isn't cheap.
October 22nd, 2012 at 8:08 PM ^
This is another great upgrade, and it is gratifying to see the athletic campus as whole come into being as a world class campus which will hopefully atteact the best in our various varisty sports for years to come. If it is of interest to the group, I can say that some of the work orders for electrical upgrades for the buildings we service (DTE and the university sort of split South Campus) are on my desk, awaiting paperwork and assignment. Much of what is on this list is coming, folks.
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:14 PM ^
Hey, look through all that stuff on your desk and see if the paperwork for my PEV charging station is there. I live in a building with a meter box, so something that was supposed to be straightforward is now "let's see what DTE will allow."
October 23rd, 2012 at 1:25 PM ^
I believe the money listed for lacrosse facilities is just for their locker rooms, offices, meeting rooms, etc. No way you build all those for 80+ athletes (combined between the two teams) PLUS a stadium for $12M. A stadium will cost much more. The picture they show on the website is of the soccer stadium. Of course they could play in the soccer stadium eventually, but lacrosse would tear up the grass pretty badly. If that was the plan you'd think they would already be out there instead of in the football stadium. I've heard talk of an indoor lacrosse stadium eventually. If that's the case you're talking big money, more in line with what they are doing for track. This would make sense since lacrosse season starts in February, and you have to believe they want to draw well if they are going to compete with the ACC.
October 23rd, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^