LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. (March 15, 2011) — In the past couple of years, Lincoln University has began to renovate current facilities and increase the amount of new construction on campus, including its new sports facilities expected to be ready for the 2012 fall sports.
The new amenities include baseball and softball diamonds, six tennis courts and a multi-purpose stadium that will house football, track and field and soccer. The stadium and practice fields will have turf rather than natural grass, true state-of-the-art complexes.
With the potential to increase its popularity and attract a bigger fan base, not only the athletes will be able to benefit from the development of the land behind Manuel Rivero Hall.
Dianthia Ford-Kee, the Director of Athletics at Lincoln University, says that the whole University will benefit from the potential financial impact.
“It's a great recruiting tool for the athletics department and coaches,” said Ford-Kee, who is in her third year at the helm of LU's 17 sports. “It also has the potential to bring in corporate sponsorship.”
Additionally, the teams will be able to host tournaments and events not unlike the other schools in Lincoln's Division II conference, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. (CIAA) This will also bring in revenue to Chester County.
Overall, Lincoln's appeal broadens. Prospective students, not just athletes, tend to look for the glitter factor, wanting to be impressed by what a college offers.
This year, football, baseball, softball and tennis will host home competitions offsite. Baseball traditionally held its games on campus but the in-progress construction resulted in them playing their eight home dates at Oxford Area High School.
For tennis, cross country and track and field, it's been even worse. Track and field has not hosted an event and tennis hosted just one last year, a meeting with Chowan University last March. As a result, these teams are forced to play the bulk of their schedules on the road. That will change in the fall of 2012.
“Location plays a big factor. Less people come when they see we have nothing. But a new stadium is eye catching,” said junior education major Kimberly Nurse (Newark, DE/Hodgson Vo-Tech), who also runs women's track and cross country.
Nurse says that more students and families would be supportive and potentially give teams a boost either by increasing attendance at events or by generating contributions to the University.
Anthony Coleman, a junior health science major, believes that a home field is needed to build a foundation to pride, adding that location is a big influence in supporting and attending outdoor sports.
Students would like to avoid traveling all together since they stay on campus, many of whom do not have cars to travel to off-site competitions.
“Location is a factor,” he said. “If students could just walk over to the games and events there would be more fans because they could avoid the traveling when we are scheduled to play at home.”
Coleman is not alone.
“A facility of our own is way overdue,” said senior business management major Stephanie Anderson (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area HS), who is the women's soccer program's all-time leading goal scorer with 28women's. She also runs track and field.
The new facilities will be able to help others in the community. Anderson mentioned that other schools hold track events for different schools, which as a result could bring in more revenue for the university.
“We're excited,” said Lincoln University football defensive coordinator Herb Pickens.”It would be great for athletics and make for a great pitch when recruiting, as well as drawing a bigger crowd.”
Coleman points to the atmosphere at Manuel Rivero Hall for home basketball games as an example of what sports stand to gain by being located on campus.
“Look at basketball,” said Coleman. “Regardless of their record, students and fans are still attracted to the gym just because they have a place they can call a home court. Athletes who consider their teammates family reap the benefits of having someone there for them as they share the victories and defeats.
“It would be nice to say were bringing this victory home. We can't do that until we have a home field, which would make the campus feel more of a school,” Coleman continued. “Players would even be more unified and enthusiastic to play.”
The benefits of the current project extend beyond the wins and losses and student recruitment but rather to something much more vital: the health of those playing.
Christopher Vigneault, Lincoln's Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer, agrees with studies that have shown when a field with turf is maintained properly, injuries are minimal. The ground on turf fields offers a little more cushion making them adequate playing fields.
“Besides the turf field trapping heat, it is forgiving in the cold more than it would be with natural grass,” says Vigneault.
This year, the University competed in its first year as an active NCAA Division II member. Through the transition, some of the teams have understandably suffered with the greater difficult of the opposition.
Coleman also cautioned that new facilities matter little without increased success.
“New facilities may not necessarily mean a successful program, just a nice place to watch a team lose,” said Coleman.
Still, with the passionate coaches recently brought to campus, one would think those struggles will become a thing of the past sooner rather than later. Successes on the recruiting trail back that sentiment.
There is a sense of ownership when it comes to Lincoln athletics being able to say that they have a home field of their own. More students are willing to support and attend if it was right in their backyard.
“Everyone tries to identify something as home; our house,” Lincoln head football coach OJ Abanishe said. “Some student-athletes may even use it as a way to define themselves and can be seen as the 'jewel of our program.' "
— LU —
