A $5 million gift to be used on women’s sports at Colorado State has been earmarked to improve facilities for nearly every women’s sport on campus.
The most visible impact to fans will be on CSU's new soccer and softball complex, but other portions of the projects from the donation are aimed at improving facilities across sports.
The gift is via the Bohemian Foundation and CSU says it’s the “largest singular gift devoted solely to women’s athletics in Mountain West history.”
Here’s a look at how CSU athletic director Joe Parker says the funds will be used and the projects involved.
Plans for a new soccer/softball complex were first announced in 2019, but the project was sidelined with other campus capital projects when COVID-19 hit. The plans for that have resumed but costs involved have now risen to where Parker says it’s an $8 million to $10 million project — far from the initial $6.5 million estimate.
One of the millions from the Bohemian foundation has been put into the project and construction is underway. Fences enclose both the softball and soccer fields on campus, located just south of Moby Arena.
Here’s a look at the details for each sport.
Soccer is in-season right now and the new facility is scheduled to be built in time for the 2023 fall season.
“That’s the one consistent thing the students have really asked for,” Parker said of lighting the facilities. “It’s for practical reasons, particularly in softball because with weather we get pushed around with our schedule. If we can extend the playing day by having lights, that will make a big difference.”
The original plan for the soccer/softball complex included a fan pavilion, but that has been shelved for now due to costs. Parker said it’s something that could be added later.
The gift from Bohemian will also impact a musical-chair shuffling of locker rooms. New men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms were built in Moby Arena this summer.
That leads to what CSU calls the “second phase” of locker room construction. When the basketball teams move to their new locations, those spaces will be “repositioned and repurposed” for soccer and softball on the south side of Moby on the ground floor.
When softball moves into its new locker room, that will open space to expand the volleyball locker room.
Nomadic sports (track and field, men’s and women’s golf and women’s tennis) don’t have permanent locker rooms but they will get spaces to lock up gear and personal items for when they’re using facilities such as the weight room in Moby. Parker said there could also be enhancements for the swimming and diving locker room once soccer moves to its new space.
Overall, the projects will directly impact nearly every women’s sport.
“It really, truly is something that is having a direct and lasting impact on our women’s programs,” Parker said.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.