ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson notes North Carolina is the latest ACC school to "get an indoor practice facility all its own." AD Bubba Cunningham "unveiled plans" yesterday for the new football facility to the BOT finance and facilities committee. Though the cost and location of the project "have not yet been determined, the plan does have approval" from the BOG. It will be "funded entirely through private fund-raising" (ESPN.com, 11/18). Cunningham said that school officials "evaluated indoor facilities primarily at other schools within the conference," which have ranged from $15-40M. Cunningham called $25M a "safe number" for the project. Cunningham said, "We would love to have it in the next couple, to three, years" (SCOUT.com, 11/18).
WAKE UP: Wake Forest on Monday began work on the first phase of a planned $14M player development center. Construction of the $9.5M initial phase is expected to be complete in January '17. Fundraising efforts are still ongoing for future phases of construction and renovations to Wake Forest Baseball Park, including the 100'x100' indoor batting facility. Plans call for renovations to the concessions stands and restrooms as well as a concourse-level viewing area that could be utilized for both Wake Forest baseball and football games and for other special events. A ceremonial groundbreaking event is being planned for early '16 (Wake Forest).
DONATIONS & GIFTS: In Mississippi, Daniel Pulling noted Ole Miss alumnus Gerald "Doc" Hollingsworth has "given the equivalent" of $25M to the school's athletic department, the "largest donation it's ever received." The Forward Together campaign will receive $10M toward the "north end zone expansion at the football stadium." The remainder will "go into a trust that will establish an athletic scholarship fund named after Hollingsworth" (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 11/18)....Silicon Valley real estate developer John Sobrato and his wife, Susan, have made a gift of $15M to the Univ. of S.F., the largest gift from individuals in the institution's history. The gift will support the school's first-ever master plan for athletic facilities and renovate the 60-year old War Memorial Gymnasium. The multi-use facility will be named The Sobrato Center (Univ. of S.F.).
