Proximity gives Panthers advantage
It’s not often Eastern draws comparisons to schools like UCLA, Arizona and California.
But softball head coach Kim Schuette does.
“I tell recruits that we have been to some of the best facilities with UCLA, Arizona and Cal but I have never been to better location than the softball field,” Schuette said. “An advantage is every student has to take a class in Lantz (Arena) so a lot of times students will stop by and watch a couple of innings and you can’t put a price on students in the stands.”
Schuette said Eastern is different from most schools because the softball field, Williams Field, is actually located in the middle of campus.
At Illinois State, the athletic facilities are separated from the campus, with only three residence halls nearby.
At Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, the only athletic facilities located near residence halls and buildings are its basketball arena and tennis courts.
Its baseball field is by itself, surrounded by fields of corn and isolated from the campus. SIUE’s soccer field and track facility is a mile away down the same road from the baseball field.
“The best question is when they say ‘How are we going to find the softball field?’ and I say is, ‘If you find campus, you will find the softball field because we are right in the middle,'” she said.
The proximity of Eastern’s athletic facilities is a fact many Panther coaches use to recruit new players.
“This is definitely a plus where the athletes do not have to travel to their practice or competition facilities,” said men’s track and field head coach Tom Akers.
Akers said Eastern’s athletic facilities compare well to other schools.
However, he feels the facilities, particularly Lantz Fieldhouse, where the track team trains during inclement weather and during the indoor season, could use an upgrade.
“The main problem is our current facilities are now becoming dated for some sports,” said Akers
The Fieldhouse, which opened in 1967, has 60,000 square feet and contains batting cages, tennis courts and an indoor track.
Akers said some Eastern athletes feel it is overused and under-supervised.
“There is such a high demand for time in the Fieldhouse it creates an unsafe environment for the athletes to train in,” Akers said.
In 2001, the field house underwent a $650,000 renovation.
During the renovation, the track and tennis courts were resurfaced and a timing system and message center were installed.
While the women’s rugby team rarely practices in the Fieldhouse, they do log hundreds of travel hours to compete against different teams all across the country.
The rugby team, the only Division I women’s rugby team in the nation, traveled to Georgia, Arkansas and Michigan during the 2006 season.
But for head coach Frank Graziano, none of the other school’s rugby fields compare to Eastern’s.
“Our rugby facility is certainly better than most we play,” Graziano said. “Our recruits like our rugby facility and it does help us recruit.”
When recruits do come to Eastern, Graziano makes a point to show them the rugby facilities.
“We always show off our rugby facility to our recruits,” Graziano said. “Our location is excellent.”
The rugby field, located on Fourth Street and literally across the street from Coleman Hall, has fencing on three sides and has been designated exclusively for intercollegiate competition and practice.
“We plan to make improvements each year and have done so for the past five years,” Graziano said.
These improvements included a new irrigation system, scoreboard and bleacher seating.
Brady Sallee’s women’s basketball team also competes in a facility that is upgraded regularly.
“There are all different levels of facilities in our league and in the region,” Sallee said. “We have a facility that is a little older than most, but I think it’s a good venue to play in.”
Since 1996 Eastern has spent $1.5 million dollars to upgrade seating at Lantz Arena. In 2001, a $250,000 video system was installed which allows for video, animated messaging, live game action and instant replay.
Sallee does not use the proximity of Lantz Arena to campus as a recruitment tool, but baseball head coach Jim Schmitz does.
“In the big picture we use the proximity of the entire campus,” Schmitz said. “It’s an easy campus to get around.”
The baseball team competes at Coaches Stadium. The stadium was opened in Spring 2002 and cost $1 million. In 2001, the stadium was upgraded with an underground irrigation system, sod infield and scoreboard
“The stadium is better than most schools in the OVC,” Schmitz said. “The surface is getting better but needs much improvement.”
