PC dedicates new baseball and softball facilities as part of $8 million athletic campaign

PC dedicates new baseball and softball facilities as part of $8 million athletic campaign

The long-awaited day when Blue Hose baseball and softball programs could celebrate significant facility upgrades came at last when Presbyterian College dedicated the new buildings on Saturday.

PC president Dr. Matthew vandenBerg called it a great day to be a Blue Hose and a day of rejoicing as he thanked everyone who participated in the $8 million Championship Spirit capital campaign.

“My hope for our alumni and our donors is that the smiling faces that you see, and the manifestation of all of your work in physical form, show you that your investments are appropriate and meaningful and valuable and impactful,” he said.

President vandenBerg also recognized PC alumnus Evan Sowell ’06, a principal at Langston Construction Co., the firm responsible for building the new fieldhouses, press boxes, and concession areas for both teams.

Blue Hose head baseball coach Elton Pollock ’95

Sowell, who played baseball for the Blue Hose under head coach Elton Pollock ’95, said this particular project was a sentimental one. In addition to playing shortstop for the Blue Hose, Sowell met his wife, Jennifer ’05, at PC.

“It means an awful lot to me to be able to be involved in this project and get it completed so that Coach Pollock and our other coaches can build their programs and be successful,” he said. “To take part in this is something I’ll always remember and never forget.”

 vandenBerg thanked PC’s athletic staff and coaches, telling them the quality and caliber of their work is worthy of the PC community’s investment.

“You are a huge part of the inspiration for the successful completion of these projects,” he said. “My hope is that you see that this is evidence of the belief of the administration, and also the belief of our alumni and donors, that you are investment worthy – that you need and deserve the best tools possible to do your job and be successful.”

Athletic director Rob Acunto stressed the importance of having good facilities for student-athletes.

“I’ve been in athletics a long time and facilities make a difference,” he said. “These facilities will help us compete for championships, there is no question about it. But they are also places for our current and future athletes to call home.”

The upgrades should be a source of pride for every Blue Hose, Acunto added.

“It’s not just the folks in the athletic department that contribute to how PC athletics is being transformed,” he said. “It’s all of you who are here today and all those folks who couldn’t make it – the entire PC family. Because you all helped build this.”

Blue Hose head softball coach David Williams

Pollock and head softball coach David Williams thanked every contributor to the facility upgrades.

“My gratitude to all of you for whatever contribution you made, even if it’s just your presence,” Pollock said. “It puts a smile on my face and a smile on my heart for all of those who came before that this is now a reality.”

Williams said the facility upgrades set the bar high for his team’s future success.

“This is an opportunity for us to grow as a program – to showcase our facility to our fans and help us recruit,” he said. “We’re on part with anybody in the Big South and with many mid-major programs. This facility is really a benefit for our student-athletes who choose to become Blue Hose.”

President vandenBerg told student-athletes they are the best reason for the college’s commitment to providing them the best facilities.

“This is for you,” he said. “My hope is that you approach today and the rest of your time at PC with an abiding sense of gratitude, and I hope that sense of gratitude continues throughout your life. I hope you’ll get enjoyment out of your PC experience because of all the support that you have here.

“And I’m also hopeful that in the future, especially after you’ve graduated this place and become wildly successful, that you think about the students of the future who will need your support, just like the support that you received.”