Projects slated to be completed by Aug. 1 ahead of fall seasons
Cullowhee, N.C. – Construction began Friday (May 29) morning at Western Carolina’s E.J. Whitmire Stadium as the playing surface on Bob Waters Field is being replaced. The project, which started with the removal of the old turf, is slated to be completed by Aug. 1 ahead of the 2020-21 athletic seasons.
“I can’t express how excited we were to see construction begin on Friday,” said WCU Director of Athletics Alex Gary. “Aided in part by generous donations from Catamount Nation, this project is just the beginning of several improvements that we have planned. I also see this project’s progress as something that will motivate our alumni, fan base, and our current student-athletes.”
Designed by Woolpert, Inc., of Charlotte, GeoSurfaces Southeast, Inc., out of Mooresville is the contractor and is handling the removal and demolition of the existing synthetic surface, and replacing it with a new synthetic turf that will be laid over a shock pad. The new turf system provides improved longevity, proven safety, and drainage advantages. Both products – the turf and the shock pads – are 100-percent recyclable thus improving the long-term environmental performance of the project.
Included in the field replacement, the project includes resurfacing the perimeter walkway immediately around the field with a turf system, the addition of a new synthetic turf practice area referred to as “the Hog Pit” using the same turf material as the field, and the installation of miscellaneous site items such as goal posts, fencing, and concrete curbing.
The new playing surface at Whitmire Stadium / Waters Field replaces the previous artificial turf that was installed in September 2008. The new turf is slated to include upgraded branding elements to provide a fresh look that will help recruit top student-athletes to Cullowhee and enhance the experience of fans whether in the stadium or watching via broadcast.
“The new turf is a much-needed project that will help improve the health, safety, welfare, and student-athlete experience for our players,” said head football coach Mark Speir. “The addition of the linemen or sled annex field will also add more practice space and efficiency. We are very grateful for the support of the university and our generous donors who helped make this project possible – it will be a great new look for our fans and recruits in Catamount Country.”
But the football program is far from the lone benefactor of the resurfacing project. The state-of-the-art turf replacement will continue to be used by almost all of WCU’s student-athletes in athletic performance for strength and conditioning programs; WCU’s “Pride of the Mountains” marching band benefits from the new surface; WCU intramurals and the spirit/cheer programs also utilize the football field space.
Catamount Club fundraising efforts and generous donations by supporters of WCU Athletics helped make the turf project possible. Donations for the project finished around $425,000 that included a remarkable and record-setting $218,525 pledged around the “Giving Tuesday” initiative on Dec. 3, 2019,. By smashing the $50,000 goal threshold on Giving Tuesday, Catamount Club members Mike and Marsha Sullivan added a challenge gift of an additional $50,000 to their initial $50K gift.
WCU’s football field turf replacement project is the second large resurfacing project this year. The track at the Catamount Athletic Complex was recently replaced with a brand-new Mondo Sportflex Super X 720 surface.
Season tickets for WCU’s five-game home schedule in 2020 are on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office by phone at (828) 227-2401 and online at CatamountSports.com. WCU Athletics has extended its special early-bird price structure while also offering payment plans during the pandemic. Fans can choose from adult and youth tickets in reserved stadium chairs, bleacher-back, and bench seating, as well as general admission and the Western Builder’s Family Fun Zone seating options.
Returning season ticket holders are asked to renew their seats by June 30, 2020, to lock-in their same seats from last year.
Also, as the Catamount Club continues to work to raise a little over $800K between now and the end of the fiscal year to cover the costs associated with educating our student-athletes through their scholarship in the annual fund, they understand that times are currently challenging. The Catamount Club staff is willing to work with each donor in every way possible to ensure we help accomplish our collective goal of making an impact. The traditional membership renewal campaign begins in early-May, pending the gravity of the circumstances facing our region due to COVID-19, and as of right now, the Catamount Club is still has a June 30th deadline for members either completing renewal or creating a specialized fulfillment plan for individual contributions. However, at any point, donors are able to complete their gift by calling the Catamount Club office at (828) 227-3047 or by logging into their donor account by visiting CatamountSports.com/CatamountClub. For additional information, please contact the Catamount Club by email at catamountclub@wcu.edu.
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