STILLWATER —
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder and energy entrepreneur, alumnus and mega-donor T. Boone Pickens shared a dream — reviving the university’s aging athletic facilities and its programs through the creation of an Athletic Village.
The dream was caught in the carnage of the economic and stock market meltdown of 2008.
A facilities fund that contained $407 million in summer 2008 lost $282 million in four months. Athletic Village plans were shelved for three years. Pickens said it could take 10 years to build the Athletic Village although he hoped it could be completed more quickly.
Today, parts of the athletic village are under construction, closer to construction or soon to be in the hands of architects.
The $20-million indoor practice facility should be ready in summer 2013. The contract for OSU’s $7 million indoor tennis facility has been awarded to Lippert Brothers. The cost of tennis facility’s outdoor courts is being estimated now. The cost of those courts should be available by the end of this month.
An architect for a new track and field facility is expected to be selected at the Board of Regents for Oklahoma A&M Colleges meeting on July 27 in Ardmore. A meeting agenda hasn’t been posted, yet.
Oklahoma State University plans to open a new residence hall at the location of the Droke Track and Field Center on Hall of Fame Avenue in fall 2014. OSU’s residence hall occupancy rates are projected to be near 98 percent this fall.
“Our athletic department’s finances are the strongest they have ever been. Work on facilities in the Athletic Village is well under way. The indoor practice facility, indoor tennis facility and track should all be completed in a year or so,” Oklahoma State University spokesman Gary Shutt said.
All of OSU’s Athletic Village projects are financed through private donations.
Oklahoma State University alumnus Sherman Smith gave OSU $20 million to build the indoor practice facility in 2011. It was the second largest private donation in OSU history. Smith died June 6, 2011. The facility will be named the Sherman F. Smith Training Center.
The erection of steel on the Smith Center is 90 percent completed.
Sports
OSU’s Athletic Village coming to life
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Edmond's Valuck ties for third after opening round of Mid Amateur
Oklahoma Golf Association
Mid Amateur Championship
Stillwater Country Club
June 17-18, 2013
Round 1 Results
Don Clark, Shawnee, Okla. - 34-35--69
Austin Hannah, Jenks, Okla. - 33-38--71
Kacey Threet, Grove, Oklahoma - 34-38--72
Jeff Tyrrell, Duncan, Okla. - 34-38--72
Jon Valuck, Edmond, Okla. - 34-38--72
Tyler Hall, Moore, Okla. - 34-39--73
Tom Zeiders, Tulsa, Okla. - 35-38--73
Brad Christianson, Jenks, Okla. - 36-37--73
Justin Jang, Norman, Okla. - 40-34--74
Phillip Bryan, Mustang, Okla. - 35-39--74
Jim Davis, Stillwater, Okla. - 34-40--74
Shawn Barker, Bartlesville, Okla. - 34-41--75
Brent Taylor, Bartlesville, Okla. - 38-38--76
Jeff Coffman, Oklahoma City, Okla. - 37-39--76
Blake Gibson, Yukon, Okla. - 33-43--76
Brent Gregg, Okc, Okla. - 37-39--76
Don Howard, Ponca, Oklahoma - 39-37--76
Ryan Munson, Edmond, Okla. - 39-38--77
Aaron Wilson, Stillwater, Okla. - 36-41--77
Jose Delgado, Tulsa, Okla. - 37-40--77
Brett Alcorn, Edmond, Okla. - 39-38--77
Max Showalter, Oklahoma City, Okla. - 36-41--77
John Stansbury, Edmond, Oklahoma - 35-42--77
Neil Metz, Edmond, Okla. - 38-39--77 -
Broncho wrestling program signs 7
Perennial national wrestling power Central Oklahoma has added five Oklahoma All-Staters and a pair of junior college All-Americans to the program for 2013-14, including locals Josh Breece of Edmond North and Alec Warren of Edmond Memorial.
High school stars signing with the Bronchos were Josh Breece of Edmond North, Zac D’Amico of Southmoore, John Jacob Finn of Westmoore, Tyler Tustin of Poteau and Alec Warren of Edmond Memorial, while Jeromy Davenport and Spencer Rutherford of Labette Community College also inked letters of intent. -
6 Edmond golfers hit pro links in Norman
Six Edmond golf professionals will tee it up Wednesday in the Second Annual OK Kids Korral Championship at Belmar Golf Club in Norman.
One hundred-eight players make up this year’s event on the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series. This includes five amateurs and 15 of the top 25 players on the 2013 AGPTS money list including last week’s winner in Miami, Okla. Mark Walker of Hurst, Texas, who is currently third among the money leaders.
Players from Edmond include William Kropp, Andrew Green, Dillon Rust, Wilhelm Bogstrand, Jackson Ogle and Cameron Meyers. -
UCO Endeavor Games athletes qualify for 2014 world championship powerlifting team
At the University of Central Oklahoma’s Endeavor Games for Athletes with Physical Disabilities June 6-9, four athletes qualified for the 2014 World Championships in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) powerlifting competition.
The qualifying athletes include Trevor Bunch from O’Fallon, Mo.; who is making his World Championships debut; Scott Danberg from Cooper City, Fla., a five-time Paralympian; Bryce Segura from New Iberia, La., who is competing in his first World Championships; and Mary Stack from Ann Arbor, Mich., a four-time Paralympian. -
Two UCO rowers named All-American
Central Oklahoma rowers Jenna Goodner and Michaela Stam have been named to the NCAA Division II All-America Team, it was announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.
Goodner was a first-team selection, while Stam was a second-team choice. All-America selections take into account a candidate’s strength of schedule, regular season record, end of season regatta results, nomination rank, coach’s comments and 2,000-meter ergometer score. -
The remembrance remains fresh
The celebration is not over.
The Deer Creek girls basketball team continued to relive March’s state basketball championship Friday at Deer Creek High School with a Class 5A state championship ring ceremony.
Head coach Totsy Manning greeted each of her players by presenting them with a title ring.
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Traffic shouldn’t be an issue with upcoming national soccer tournament
About 15,000 people are expected at the U.S. Youth Soccer Southern Regional at the Edmond Soccer Complex on Danforth Road near Kelly Avenue June 21-27.
The number of out-of-state guests should not be a problem according to Assistant City Manager Steve Commons. The tournament will attract more than 200 boys and girls teams, ages Under-13 through Under-19, from the 12 state associations that make up U.S. Youth Soccer Region III (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, north Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, south Texas and Tennessee).
As a matter of fact, Commons feels very upbeat about the prospect of Edmond hosting the national tournament. -
LaFaye takes Pick-A-Partner crown with 135
The KickingBird Men’s Golf Assocation’s Pick-A-Partner was won by Robert LaFaye Saturday with a 135.
Sean Conrad took second (136) while Kevin Wright and Kevin O’Neil deadlocked for third place at 137. -
UCO overtakes Division II foes for national title
Starting out the postseason, the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos softball team puttered out in the MIAA Tournament.
But UCO shifted it into another gear when the rounds of regionals began and rode the wild momentum going undefeated en route to securing the NCAA II national championship over Kutztown (Pa.) in Salem, Va.
The Bronchos dominated, going 9-0 straight through to the national title contest on May 27. -
2013 US Youth Soccer Region III Championships to bring more than $8 million to Edmond area
he 2013 US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Championships presented by the National Guard, to be played June 21-27, will provide an estimated economic impact of more than $8 million to the Edmond area.
Local restaurants, hotels, retail stores and others will benefit from the more than 3,600 players, coaches, teams and tournament officials, along with an estimated 12,000 spectators attending the seven-day tournament. Visitors to the Edmond area will book an estimated 10,000 room nights at area hotels.
The top 200 Boys and Girls US Youth Soccer teams from Region III, including at least 19 teams from the host Oklahoma Soccer Association, will compete at the Edmond Soccer Club Complex. - More Sports Headlines
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Edmond's Valuck ties for third after opening round of Mid Amateur
