While construction continues on Crutcher Scott Field, the university’s plans remain the same: play the first Wildcat home ballgame on Feb. 21.
Still, the aggressive timeline presents its challenges, university officials said, as this project broke ground just three days after the conclusion of last season, making it a short eight-month full remodel.
“Trying to do a year-and-a-half project in eight months is always a challenge,” said Zack Lassiter, vice president of athletics. “Although everyone has their doubts, I come here every day and feel, if not the same, more encouraged each time.”
Weather has been the primary obstacle, said Kevin Campbell, vice president of operations.
“The time with the snow and the ice last week, and even after that, the snow then melts for quite a while after,” Campbell said. “So the site was muddy.”
That, along with the overwhelming rain in September, has put the project about two and a half weeks behind schedule.
“But again,” Campbell said, “that two-and-a-half-week schedule was the optimistic schedule.”
However, delays have been beyond the control of the construction companies, Campbell said.
“They’ve been awesome,” Campbell said. “They are working their tails off to overcome the very aggressive schedule combined with the pretty substantial weather delays that we’ve had.”
So what is the point of this super quick timeline?
“This will give us a lot more opportunity to have exposure as we host key high school playoff games or potential travel tournaments,” Campbell said.
Along with that, newly added LED lights and other upgrades make it possible for the Crutch to host NCAA Div. I regional postseason baseball tournaments, which was not previously possible. Furthermore, ACU’s baseball program arguably attracts the highest level of competition to campus.
Just last year, ACU hosted the TCU Horned Frogs as well as the Texas Tech Red Raiders at home. This year, the Wildcats are expected to host Indiana, a Big Ten member, along with Texas Tech again. These upgrades will hopefully make Abilene an attractive destination for many Power Five schools in the future.
Another major reason for the urgency is recruiting. The plans to revamp the facility are vital for this process. The upgrades include a new turf playing surface, press box, seating, fan shade covering, and player amenities, among other things.
Head baseball Coach Rick McCarty has been especially vocal about what the facility means for the program.
“Every time I walk the facility with Coach McCarty, he just keeps talking about how much of a game-changer it’s going to be,” Campbell said.
The improved amenities will give ACU a strong edge, ensuring the Wildcats can compete with other programs by offering a facility that is as good as, if not better than, those of their competitors.
Lassiter and Campbell spoke about their excitement for the project, though a specific completion date is not well defined due to some unforeseen weather. They said that even if the facility is not completely finished, it will have a fully functional playing surface and be a great experience for the fans.
If necessary, coaches’ offices and players’ locker rooms would be completed during the season while games are being played. Additionally, phase two of the project is expected to begin in a couple of years, depending on continued fundraising efforts.
And to answer the big question: What happens if the playing surface is not ready by opening day?
Lassiter said the game would be held at a neutral location in Abilene, with several possible backup options available.
However, the Wildcats aren’t at that point yet. With more than a month until opening day, the athletics department remains confident that tireless work will help complete the project on time.
“Everybody who’s working on this site right now is bought into the schedule,” Campbell said. “The end of the project is when things happen a lot faster than people realize. Each week for the next five weeks, you’re going to see substantial progress – each and every week.”
