Last modified: Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Indiana University dedicating its new softball and baseball fields
Softball's Andy Mohr Field ceremony will be April 23; baseball's Bart Kaufman Field ceremony takes place April 26
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Dates have been set for Indiana University to formally dedicate its new softball and baseball fields. IU softball's Andy Mohr Field will be dedicated Tuesday, April 23. IU baseball's Bart Kaufman Field will be dedicated Friday, April 26. Each dedication is open to the public.
Highlights of the new stadiums include new locker rooms and team rooms, dugouts, indoor/outdoor hitting cages, press boxes, scoreboards, lighting and sound system, and hospitality suites. The complex, on the north edge of the IU Bloomington athletics campus near the State Road 45/46 Bypass, also features entry plazas, a picnic area, concessions and restrooms for fans.
The Andy Mohr Field dedication will begin at 2 p.m. April 23 with tours of the team's clubhouse. The ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m., with a reception immediately following. IU softball will play Ball State later that evening at 6 p.m.
IU President Michael A. McRobbie will preside at the Andy Mohr Field dedication ceremony, which will feature remarks by IU first lady Laurie Burns McRobbie, Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, softball head coach Michelle Gardner, benefactor Andy Mohr and student-athlete Amanda Wagner.
The Bart Kaufman Field dedication will begin at 4 p.m. April 26 with a reception and tours of the team's clubhouse. Remarks will begin at 5 p.m., and IU baseball will play the University of Michigan at 6:05 p.m.
The Bart Kaufman Field dedication will feature remarks from McRobbie, Glass, baseball head coach Tracy Smith and benefactor Bart Kaufman.
The IU baseball and softball programs began their 2013 seasons in the new fields and have experienced record numbers of fans at the new complex.
"Support for IU's baseball and softball teams has been tremendous this year," Glass said. "It's been thrilling to see so many students, families and fans come out to see the Hoosiers play, especially at night under the lights."
"These state-of-the-art facilities represent a significant commitment to the growth of these programs," Glass added. "With year-round resources, equipment and a professional atmosphere, IU softball and baseball will be able to thrive, recruit and compete in some of the best facilities in the country. We are incredibly grateful to Andy Mohr, Bart Kaufman and all of the donors to this complex for their commitment to IU student-athletes."
The IU Board of Trustees approved construction of the new softball and baseball complex in August 2011. Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects of Indianapolis designed the complex. Construction began in May 2012 by Gilbane Construction. The new $19.8 million complex was funded through private donations and athletic department funds and replaces Sembower Field and the IU Softball Field, which are on Fee Lane adjacent to Foster Residence Center.
In December 2012, IU announced that the name of its new softball facility would be Andy Mohr Field in honor of a major gift to IU Athletics from Andy Mohr, IU alumnus and CEO of Plainfield-based Andy Mohr Automotive Group.
In February 2012, IU announced that the new baseball stadium would be named Bart Kaufman Field in honor of a major gift from Kaufman, a former IU baseball student-athlete and chairman and CEO of Indianapolis-area Kaufman Financial Corp.
Major naming and gift opportunities are still available as part of the overall baseball and softball complex. To learn how you can support these facilities, please contact the IU Varsity Club at 812-855-0866 or varsity@indiana.edu. To RSVP for the dedication of Andy Mohr Field and/or the dedication of Bart Kaufman Field, please contact the IU Varsity Club.
About the IU Varsity Club
Established in 1954, the Varsity Club serves as the development arm of IU Athletics. Through its fundraising efforts, the Varsity Club enables student-athletes in 24 varsity sports to receive quality academic and athletic experiences at Indiana University. Varsity Club donors support student-athletes through contributions for scholarships, facility projects, renovations and improvements. Annual giving donors are eligible for special benefits and priority points used for preferred seating at football and men's basketball games.
