2008 Woodie Awards
Multi-purpose gymnasium a university fixture
By Travis Pickens
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 12/2/05 Section: Sports
If you visit Slippery Rock University and look at the athletic facilities, you may be surprised the Rock is only a Division II school.
The home of the football and field hockey teams, N. Kerr Thompson Stadium not only has one of the largest seating capacities in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, but it also boasts new artificial turf, lights and locker room. The home of the baseball team, Jack Critchfield Park, is hard to beat among D-II baseball parks in the country, let alone the conference.
The facility where students enjoy winter sports, Morrow Field House, was built in 1960 and slowly began to show its age after years of hosting numerous sporting events.
"It was wearing out and we wanted to bring it to current standards," SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken said of the work done on the field house that began in 1999.
The field house was named in honor of James Morrow, who, in 1889, was the first principal of Slippery Rock State Normal School. Prior to taking command of a new school, Morrow served in the Civil War as captain of Company F in the First Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
Over a six-year period, the field house, which started to become outdated, underwent changes to better honor its namesake.
The facility's entire wiring system was redone, a new wooden floor was installed, the indoor track and grasstex area was refurbished, new bleachers were added, the ceiling was spray painted white, the windows were replaced and the offices in rooms 128 and 129 were remodeled and redone.
Herbert Carlson, director of facilities and planning, said the school spent a significant amount of money to bring the facility up to date.
Carlson said the most expensive update in the field house project, which has currently cost more than $1.1 million, was the resurfacing of the track and grasstex area that cost $185,000.
Lueken said the facility stills needs more work before it's in the best possible shape.
The home of the football and field hockey teams, N. Kerr Thompson Stadium not only has one of the largest seating capacities in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, but it also boasts new artificial turf, lights and locker room. The home of the baseball team, Jack Critchfield Park, is hard to beat among D-II baseball parks in the country, let alone the conference.
The facility where students enjoy winter sports, Morrow Field House, was built in 1960 and slowly began to show its age after years of hosting numerous sporting events.
"It was wearing out and we wanted to bring it to current standards," SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken said of the work done on the field house that began in 1999.
The field house was named in honor of James Morrow, who, in 1889, was the first principal of Slippery Rock State Normal School. Prior to taking command of a new school, Morrow served in the Civil War as captain of Company F in the First Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
Over a six-year period, the field house, which started to become outdated, underwent changes to better honor its namesake.
The facility's entire wiring system was redone, a new wooden floor was installed, the indoor track and grasstex area was refurbished, new bleachers were added, the ceiling was spray painted white, the windows were replaced and the offices in rooms 128 and 129 were remodeled and redone.
Herbert Carlson, director of facilities and planning, said the school spent a significant amount of money to bring the facility up to date.
Carlson said the most expensive update in the field house project, which has currently cost more than $1.1 million, was the resurfacing of the track and grasstex area that cost $185,000.
Lueken said the facility stills needs more work before it's in the best possible shape.
