The Univ. of Connecticut is "establishing stadium enhancement and construction funds for soccer, baseball and softball with the purpose of upgrading or building new facilities," according to Desmond Conner of the HARTFORD COURANT. This follows "on the heels of doing the same for a new basketball practice facility, long sought by men's coach Jim Calhoun and women's coach Geno Auriemma." Like the money being raised for the basketball facility, funds for the other projects "will come through private donations and will be spearheaded" by interim AD Paul Pendergast, who said that it is "time to make UConn bigger." Pendergast said that the basketball facility "is priority No.1 with donations for basketball going straight to basketball." At the end of September, the fundraising "was at $8 million for basketball; it is now at about $17 million." Donations earmarked for soccer, baseball and softball "are going to those sports." About $1M "has been raised for baseball and $4.5 million for soccer." The target date for all to be completed is '14, but the "target date for the basketball facility is late 2013 to early 2014." Pendergast and UConn Dir of Planning Alexandria Roe said that when completed, the basketball project "could cost $40 million ... though some estimates are closer to $35 million." UConn envisions a "70,000-square-foot facility on the Memorial Stadium site, adjacent to Gampel Pavilion with dedicated practice gyms for the two basketball programs; locker rooms; coaches' offices; and areas for academic support, video analysis, sports medicine and strength training." Both Roe and Pendergast estimate that it will take "$20 million to $25 million more to address the issues related to baseball, soccer and softball, which will not be all-inclusive." Pendergast said that softball "could move behind the proposed basketball practice facility, essentially where the old football locker rooms are located" (HARTFORD COURANT, 2/21).
