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  • Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

    They get some help from the state. Might be nice if we had some progressive congressmen.

    DSU begins $1 million stadium project

    By MIKE FINNEY
    Staff reporter
    05/12/2004

    DOVER -- The project taking place at Delaware State University's Alumni Stadium is not nearly as loud or as glitzy as the proposed $92 million, 14,500-seat football stadium and 7,500-seat arena complex the school is hoping to receive state funding for.

    However, Tripp Keister, the Hornets' associate athletic director, insists that the current $1 million refurbishing of Alumni Stadium will be just as important for the school in the long run.

    The money being used came from the state last year as part of the $4 million to be used for the school's multipurpose athletic facility.

    It is just the start of what he hopes will be a continued building boom near the campus on the northwest side of Dover. Plus, it will help keep the school in the spotlight.

    "We've got to have some curb appeal," Keister said. "I think it's important when people ride by this summer on their way to the beach that they can see that change is in the air."

    The visiting grandstand has been razed and new bleachers that will seat 4,000 fans are being built.

    A new concession stand, rest room facilities and improved locker room facilities are also in the works. DSU is also going to re-sod the field and re-center it in the middle of the stadium, which will allow more room on the sidelines for football and more room to play soccer.

    There are plenty of other people with an eye on what is taking place at Delaware State. Jack Holloway, the executive director for the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association, is one of those people.

    Holloway said the DIAA is "extremely interested" in playing high school football state tournament games at Alumni Stadium, as soon as this fall.

    "Delaware State is really an ideal situation for our needs," Holloway said. "Right now, their facilities leave a little to be desired, and I'm sure they'd say the same thing. But we would be very much interested in any of the new facilities they are talking about.

    "They say they are going to bring seating capacity at Alumni Stadium up to 7,500 and they're talking about adding lights, too. If they put lights on and expand capacity to 7,500, then I'm sure the state football committee and DSU would like to get together to firm up some kind of medium- to long-range solution."

    That is because Delaware State University sits right in the middle of the state. That would erase a travel advantage for any team and would make it convenient for all fans. Plus, 7,500 seats is just about the perfect amount for a high school game, Holloway said.

    These are exactly the kinds of things that Keister likes to hear.

    "We have interest in having as many high school events on the campus as we can," said Keister, who recently met with the state football committee and expressed his desire to bring tourney games to DSU.

    "We have that interest and we want that for the state, we want that for Kent County, we want it for the city of Dover. We want people to get into the habit of coming out here."

    Keister said the key to progressive change all begins with a single stroke of fresh paint.

    Those changes are already underway at Alumni Stadium, though Keister said lights would not be installed by this fall.

    Currently, the visiting grandstand - or as what Keister prefers to call the North grandstand - has been razed and footers and a foundation have already been set in place for a 4,000-seat addition of aluminum bleachers.

    Those new seats, painted in Hornets' red, will rise 21 rows into the sky, will extend from end zone to end zone and will be topped with a 54-foot press box. They are being built by E&D Grandstand Seating, the same company that has helped Dover International Speedway expand its grandstands over the past decade.

    "There's a lot going on, and I guess it never happens quite as quickly as you'd want it to," Keister said. "But you have to make sure you get everything organized, so that you're timing a lot of the things.

    "For instance, we have graduation out here next Sunday and we can't have graduation out here with construction going on, so we have to make sure it's cleaned up and it looks good.

    "But as soon as graduation's over next Monday, this fence [around the track] is going down. We're getting to work and we will be ready by the time our first football game arrives in the fall."

    That will be Sept. 4, when the Hornets host the University of Massachusetts.

    Keister said the Alumni Stadium renovation is an important part of DSU's plans for the future.

    Even though it is a $1 million project, and not the $92 million sports complex the school would eventually like to embark upon, it is just as important.

    "The good thing about this is we don't feel like we're wasting our money, because what we're doing is, this facility can be used for soccer, track and lacrosse, hopefully, when we move into our new one," Keister said. "One thing's for sure, it is an exciting time to be around Delaware State University."

    Reach Mike Finney at 734-7945 or mfinney@delawareonline.com.



    We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler

    We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

  • #2
    m

    with all the money we're going to make from the SD games GSU is planning some upgrades also


    www.gometter.com/gsfacilities.html

    http://www.southern-connection.com/p...sc&start=0



    Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
    www.gsufans.com

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

      Hey Buzzard Spurs:

      Do you have any other sports teams on campus?

      How about a home and away game with SDSU for your men's and women's basketball teams?

      How many fans show up for their games?

      We usually put over 8,000 fans in the seats for that kind of a game.

      Maybe we can start a new rivalry with Y'all! What do you say.

      Comment


      • #4
        bbq

        Ummm SMACK >

        After we decimate your football team will there be enough people left in South Dakota to attend such an event?

        & no smack

        In all honesty I don’t see a rivalry starting because of distance and travel expenses unless it was a jamboree with several teams involved. If we were to play 3-4 teams in a weekend it would probably be feasible
        Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
        www.gsufans.com

        Comment


        • #5
          JBNJBQ

          ON TOPIC GSU BASKETBALL


          WE WERE JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THIS, JBN

          http://www.towc.org/
          Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
          www.gsufans.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

            Looks like a great tournament, but boy if you think it gets cold in South Dakota in October how about November in Alaska. Bring your long woolies for that one you'll be giving thanks in a new way.

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            • #7
              Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

              How did your BB team do in D2. Its a big jump to D1 ball. What jamboree will SD be attending next year? If we're going to Alaska then you must be playing in Key West. As long as we beat Central Florida I'll be happy . We were 10-1 against them in football and I couldnt stand a loss to them in B-BALL :-/
              Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
              www.gsufans.com

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                The Scott Nagy era:
                1995-96, 24-5, NCC Champion, D-II North Central Regional runnerup (eliminated by eventual national champion)
                1996-97, 25-5, NCC champion, D-II North Central Regional champion
                1997-98, 26-3, NCC Champion, D-II North Central Regional runnerup
                1998-99, 17-10 (rebuilding year)
                1999-2000, 21-9, D-II North Central regional qualifier
                2000-01, 22-7, D-II North Central regional qualifier
                2001-02, 24-6, NCC Champion, North Central regional runnerup (eliminated by eventual national champion)
                2002-03, 24-7, North Central regional qualifier
                2003-04, 27-7, North Central regional qualifier

                Our Massey ranking at the end of 2003-04 was #171. (yours was #141.) We'd fit right in with your TOTW field, our rating is higher than Portland, New Mexico State, or Winthrop. I'd have to say Utah State or Western Michigan would be the favorites up there.
                "I think we'll be OK"

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                  Our women's team has done pretty well too. A.J. Johnston has coached 4 1/2 years starting 2000.
                  During his short tenure his teams have:

                  Won two conference co-championships in the tough NCC
                  Won three regional championships
                  Went to the Elite 8 three times where they:
                  Lost to the eventual National Champions in 2004
                  Won the National Championship in 2003
                  Made the Final Four in 2002

                  The team looks pretty strong again next year with 3 returning starters. They have 5 seniors, 2 juniors, 4 sophomores and 5 really good freshmen coming in.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                    BBQduRABBIT

                    The idea is fine but like most good ideas they are never followed through with. You’d have to contact your AD and have others e-mail him with the idea to force him to take note of the interest for such an event

                    PS filbert

                    Your logo's a chipmunk not a rurbit, subliminally u hate being a rabbit and want to be a tree climber
                    Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
                    www.gsufans.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                      Originally posted by GSUsTALON
                      BBQduRABBIT

                      PS filbert

                      Your logo's a chipmunk not a rurbit, subliminally u hate being a rabbit and want to be a tree climber
                      It is in fact Penfold, Dangermouse's trusty but perpetually terrified sidekick...he's a hamster, thank you very much.
                      "I think we'll be OK"

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                        TALON,

                        This past season, we won the Disney Tip Off classic down in Orlando. We beat the eventual D-II National Champions by 15 on our way to wining it (we had some injury issues come playoff time). A couple of times last year we were ranked as high #2 in the Nation. This year's schedule is not out, but I do know we are playing in a tourney hosted by Fresno State.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          d

                          DanceswithRabbits

                          Now that’s original

                          Our b-ball team is average and has been making a slow comeback since the kern’s years


                          Georgia Southern Football - Out weighed, but seldom outplayed
                          www.gsufans.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: d

                            Originally posted by GSUsTALON
                            DanceswithRabbits

                            Now that’s original

                            Our b-ball team is average and has been making a slow comeback since the kern’s years

                            It is a little play on Dances with Wolves, The movie was filmed here in South Dakota. Kevin Costner still has SD connections. He and his brother own the Midnight Star in Deadwood. You guys had a pretty good season last year you should have gotten a NIT bid. I hope we get to meet on the hardwoods sometime, as basketball is king (and queen) at SDSU. Still, I am looking forward to our meetings on the football field.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Delaware St. doing some refurbishing

                              No offense but we haven't been able to schedule many major D-I powerhouses and that is killing our RPI. We really need to schedule SEC and ACC schools first.

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