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Eriksen Still Hoping For Stadium

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By BRETT McMURPHY

bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: February 4, 2009

TAMPA - In June 2005, when softball coach Ken Eriksen signed a five-year contract to remain with the University of South Florida, he was told the Bulls would have a new stadium by 2008.

In 2007, he said he was told by Vicki Mitchell, USF's associate athletic director for development, "definitely by 2010."

With the Bulls opening the season Friday, Eriksen is hoping this year's freshman class will play in a new stadium before they graduate in 2012.

He's not optimistic.

"I don't know the latest timeline," Eriksen said. "What I understand is it won't happen in 2010. The latest projection is 2012."

Mitchell said she didn't give Eriksen a specific date.

"Clearly everyone wants to get that stadium accomplished," Mitchell said. "What the softball team has accomplished is nothing short of remarkable."

Eriksen said he believed the issue was a continuing process.

"I just hope it gets here before this freshman class graduates," he said. "It's tough to be optimistic in this state of the economy, and it's tough to be optimistic because over the past 13 years, we were expecting some type of movement into a better facility."

In January 2005, USF athletic director Doug Woolard announced plans for an "athletics district," which would include new stadiums for softball, baseball and soccer, a new tennis complex, new basketball practice facilities, new football practice fields and major renovations to the Sun Dome.

In four years, the only construction has been a new $2.79 million track, which was paid for entirely by Hillsborough County.

In May 2006, Frank Morsani donated $3 million toward a new softball stadium and football practice fields, but nothing has been built. Mitchell said about 50 percent of the funding had been acquired. Eriksen said the total figure needed was about $6.5 million.

"I don't think you build it because Title IX mandates," Eriksen said. "I think you do it because it's the right thing to do."

A 1984 USF graduate, Eriksen has been the coach since 1997. He has led the Bulls to 553 wins and eight NCAA Tournaments, including five in the past six seasons.

The Bulls have managed this success despite having to recruit players to one of the worst Division I facilities in the nation. "A recreation park field," Eriksen said.

Eriksen has been an assistant for Team USA and won the 2004 Olympic gold medal. He has had opportunities to join Team USA on a full-time basis and had several offers to leave USF for bigger schools with better facilities, but Eriksen remained hopeful for a new stadium so he could win a national title at his alma mater.

"You have to continue to focus on what's important," Eriksen said. "A new facility would enhance recruiting, but that's not the ultimate. The ultimate is our players getting a degree."

Last year, the softball team won the school's first regular-season Big East title in any sport.

This year could be better.

"This is our most talented team," Eriksen said. "It's the deepest hitting team and pitching team we've had."

BOWERS HONORED: Former USF athletic director Dick Bowers will be honored at halftime of Friday's men's basketball game against No. 8 Marquette.

Bowers, who was AD from 1963 to 1982, died on Nov. 29, 2007 from an aneurism. He will become the first non-athlete to have a banner hanging from the Sun Dome rafters.

ODDS AND ENDS: USF's football coaches and players are scheduled to attend a signing day party today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Splitsville in Channelside. ... With the women's basketball team winning at Rutgers on Saturday, the only Big East team USF hasn't defeated in its four years in the league is Connecticut. The men's basketball team has yet to defeat nine of the 15 Big East teams (UConn, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Villanova and West Virginia).

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