A Revolution Is Underway at TU

KOTV's Emory Bryan says while the Golden Hurricane basketball program has blossomed at the Reynolds Center, on the other end of campus, there's hope that new success will come to the other teams,

Friday, March 30th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

KOTV's Emory Bryan says while the Golden Hurricane basketball program has blossomed at the Reynolds Center, on the other end of campus, there's hope that new success will come to the other teams, softball and soccer, track and tennis, which will all soon have a new home field advantage.

There is a revolution underway on the west end of campus, and tennis player Mike Nammar is ready for some action. "This is going to be one of the best tennis centers in the US." He's talking about the Hardesty sports and Recreation complex. It's 34 acres of construction, including new tennis courts, a dozen outside six inside. "And that's a big deal because we practice at 91st and Delaware and now it's going to be right here." The building boom is part of TU's strategy. The school plans to transform their athletic program and change the notion that TU is a campus of commuters. That's 216 student apartments going up at 4th and Delaware.

TU Provost, Roger Blais says, "increasingly our students are living on campus and we need to have the kind of facilities that make the life of the student body attractive." The athletic fields are near student housing. The new soccer practice field is nearly complete and some of the tennis courts will be ready this summer. Softball and track will both have new fields. A student fitness center completes the $31 million dollar project, which will take another year to complete. Nammar says, "add that to the Reynolds and you have everything that you need."

And the national attention that is focused on TU basketball will be on tennis in the summer of 2004, when the NCAA men's championship will be held in the new tennis complex at TU.