Appalachian State fans and supporters can reach out to Director of Athletics
Doug Gillin each month with questions regarding Appalachian State Athletics. Please submit questions via email at
AskTheAD@appstate.edu.
FEBRUARY 2019 – ASK THE A.D.
What is the latest on the Owens Field House demolition and end zone project construction?
As many of you have seen, the area around Kidd Brewer Stadium is undergoing a transformation as the process to build both the end zone facility and the new residence hall complex begins. The Duck Pond Field and half of the Stadium Lot are now closed off with construction fencing, as well as Owens Field House.
Everything of note has been removed from Owens, with many of those items moving elsewhere on campus to be used or repurposed in other university buildings, and demolition of Owens is scheduled for mid-March. Once that is complete, the next step is site prep for construction of the end zone project.
We have been in communication with Yosef Club members who have parked in the Stadium Lot on game days about their options for game day parking in 2019. If you are a Yosef Club member who hasn't filled out one of the mailed parking request forms yet, the deadline to reply is March 29. Spaces will start being allocated once the season ticket renewal process is complete on April 30.
When will the track be removed from Kidd Brewer Stadium?
There are several factors that go into answering that question completely. As many of you know, the Appalachian 105 project at the old Watauga High School site includes plans for an athletics complex with a new track, tennis courts and softball stadium, among other amenities.
We have hired an architect and contractor for that complex, and we're currently looking at plan and cost estimates for the new track, tennis and softball facilities. We are still working every day to raise funds to cover the cost of building these new planned facilities that will make the future of App State Athletics even brighter, and this is where your support in terms of joining the Yosef Club, buying season tickets and contributing to the "A Mountaineer Impact" initiative is vital.
Before we go through with removing the track at Kidd Brewer Stadium, we have to make sure we've secured everything needed to replace it with a new one at the Appalachian 105 site. At The Rock, there are plans to increase the available practice space by adding turf where the track currently sits, but the track must be removed instead of just being covered by new turf.
Ideally, our goal is to begin the 2020 football season with both the track removed and the new end zone project complete. Removing the track and installing new turf in its place comes with a price tag of between $1.5 million and $2 million. With your support, we will continue to work to raise money to fund that project, so your contributions are incredibly important. To make a gift, simply
click HERE or call the Yosef Club at 828-262-3018.
What's the lowdown on the wrestling tournament coming to Boone?
As we've shown by hosting the 2017 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championship and winning the bid to host the Southern Conference Wrestling Championship this year and in 2020, we're aggressively pursuing events that will attract fans and visitors to the High Country.
The wrestling championship on Sunday, March 10 at the Holmes Convocation Center will be a great showcase for our wrestling program, the university and the community as a whole. This is the first time we've worked closely with the Boone Area Sports Commission, which has been established by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and the Boone and Watauga County Tourism Development Authorities.
Thanks to Roachel Laney, whom many of you know from his time as App State's Director of Athletics, for his hard work on behalf of the sports commission in promoting the wrestling championship out in the community. From people visiting Boone, staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and shopping in town, it's a win-win scenario for Appalachian State and the High Country.
It's exciting to see how many people already have purchased championship tickets in advance. They're available by
clicking HERE or calling the App State Athletics ticket office at 828-262-2079. Be sure to join us for a great day of high-level wrestling as your Mountaineers attempt to win the conference tournament for the second straight year.
Go Mountaineers!
