St. Thomas will break ground this summer on major repairs and upgrades to the athletic fields. Among the projects is the installation of new artificial turf in O’Shaughnessy Stadium and the Koch Diamond baseball field, a new track and general stadium maintenance.
The project is expected to cost around $3.2 million, which is part of the annual $5 million to $7 million general maintenance budget. Although it is still in its early stages, about one-third of the project is expected to be fundraised.
“The reality is we have to move forward with some of these things anyway,” Mark Vangsgard, vice president of business affairs, said. “Depending on how the fundraising turns out, we may have to scale down the size of the project to the extent that there’s any shortfalls.”
Vangsgard sees the maintenance project as a necessity to keep athletes safe. The stadium turf is nearly 14-years-old, but the recommended lifespan for most turf fields is only eight years. As the artificial grass fibers on the turf wear down with use, the surface gets harder, leading to more injuries.
“Those cleats catch more and it causes leg, ankle and knee injuries. There’s a concussion issue when the field gets too hard,” Vangsgard said. “We have seen more leg injuries over the past few years, more concussions over the past few years than we’ve seen before.”
Additionally, the new turf will feature an updated St. Thomas crest to coincide with their rebranding efforts.
The stadium track is also a top priority for the project. The asphalt beneath the surface of the track has been wearing down and creating uneven footing, making it difficult for athletes to get a good grip on the surface and causing balance issues.
“If you look at the track surface out there, it’s terrible,” Vangsgard said. “There’s bubbles … it looks like Frankenstein with all those scars on it.”
Sophomore Brooks Carroll, a member of the men’s track and field team, is looking forward to improved training once the new track is installed.
“The outdoor track is in rough shape right now,” Carroll said. “We’re very excited about the new track getting put in. It should help improve our training and our performances in meets.”
Construction crews will be digging up the asphalt underneath the track and completely replacing it. They will also be rearranging the shot put circle and batting cages and adding protection to the dugout on the baseball field.
The final aspect of the project will be general maintenance in the stadium, including repainting the seats, sealing cracks and fixing leaks.
“We look at maintenance on campus as something that you invest so much in per year,” Vangsgard said. “Most of the time it’s stuff you don’t see or care about. When you flush the toilet, you just want to make sure the water goes to the same place … This one is a little more visible.”
Construction crews will break ground the day after graduation, starting with the track and football field. The stadium is expected to be finished by mid August, in time for the football team to begin practice.
Mary Brickner can be reached at bric0029@stthomas.edu.