OSU Unveils Athletics Vision Plan

Oklahoma State Athletics Vision Plan Website
Photo gallery
News conference with Athletic Director Chad Weiberg (11 a.m. CT on Monday, Feb. 27)

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is strengthening its place throughout the nationwide panorama of school athletics with the disclosing of the athletics amenities imaginative and prescient plan that was introduced by Athletic Director Chad Weiberg in the present day.

 

The plan focuses on offering for the success of the student-athletes, enhancing the fan expertise, and bolstering the University’s capacity to draw student-athletes throughout all packages by means of the creation of a unified and related athletic village unmatched in faculty sports activities.

Included within the plan are a brand new soccer operations middle, a brand new wrestling coaching facility, a brand new softball stadium, an indoor observe, a brand new coaching middle for basketball, upgrades to the Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center and to Karsten Creek Golf Course and repurposed areas within the west finish zone of Boone Pickens Stadium and Gallagher-Iba Arena for student-athlete providers that embody a brand new lecturers middle and areas for psychological well being, management and profession growth.

 

The athletics imaginative and prescient plan comes at an estimated value of roughly $325 million. The implementation and order of development shall be decided as funding turns into out there for every particular person component.

 

“This is a time of conference realignment and unprecedented transformation in college athletics,” Weiberg stated. “With a history that includes 52 NCAA titles, for us to continue to achieve championship results, now is not the time to pause or rest on past accomplishments, but to honor those accomplishments by pushing forward and building upon what has been started.  This vision plan provides a road map for the next phase of an athletics village that will be unrivaled in collegiate sports.”

 

The plan is in its conceptual levels. A better take a look at a few of the key components:

 

 

Human Performance Innovation Complex and Football Center

In December of 2022, Oklahoma State University introduced its new Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute with the objective of impacting each group in Oklahoma.

 

Due to out there house and to maximise efficiencies, the institute headquarters will share a roof with the brand new operations dwelling of Cowboy Football and shall be situated instantly adjoining to the present apply fields and the Sherman E. Smith Training Center.

 

Sharing the identical footprint will maximize efficiencies of key components of the Human Performance And Nutrition Research Institute and Cowboy Football.

 

Vacated house within the west finish zone of  Boone Pickens Stadium creates large advantages for student-athletes in each sport and accommodates an athletic division that has grown lately to incorporate new areas devoted to student-athlete success, psychological and bodily wellness, management {and professional} growth.

 

While the institute itself is funded by the college, the Cowboy Football program could have its personal house throughout the constructing paid for by athletics funds and personal donations.

 

The 2009 upgrades to Boone Pickens Stadium performed a big function in OSU’s rise to school soccer prominence. It additionally launched a bigger mindset – one which Cowboy Football is actually able to ascending to the very best degree of the game. This new facility supplies a possibility for OSU to reaffirm its dedication to being a nationwide drive transferring ahead.

 

 

Student-Athlete Success Center

The program areas presently occupied by OSU Football within the west finish zone of Boone Pickens Stadium shall be renovated following completion of Human Performance Innovation and Football Center. This contains each student-athlete and coaches/workers areas within the stadium that are presently situated on the world and decrease membership Levels.

 

The present Student-Athlete Dining and Training Table can be expanded and renovated. Premium areas, together with each membership areas and seating and extra suites can be added, providing new seating varieties and facilities. Existing student-athlete assist packages comparable to tutorial providers, pupil athlete growth and psychological well being may very well be relocated from Gallagher-Iba Arena to the stadium. Sports medication, together with energy and conditioning may be expanded and situated within the west finish zone, providing a central coaching and restoration house for all student-athletes.

 

In addition, workplaces and work areas for OSU Athletics inventive groups, encompassing operations, graphic design, inventive content material and communications can be relocated to Boone Pickens Stadium.

 

 

Boone Pickens Stadium

Between 2003 and 2009, Lewis Field expanded and was formally rededicated as Boone Pickens Stadium on September 5, 2009. The enlargement included including almost 4,000 membership seats and 123 suites and related the north and south by making a steady seating bowl within the west finish zone. Over time the unique seating on the north and south sides stadium bowl has required annual upkeep, leading to elevated restore prices, necessitating the alternative of the present seating treads and risers. This want allowed OSU Athletics to plan the modernization and enchancment of the fan expertise in Boone Pickens Stadium.

 

Following the 2022 soccer season, work started on a two-year stadium challenge, starting on the north aspect. That scope of labor begins on the 200 degree with the addition of a cross aisle to the present seating treads and risers on the 300 degree, increasing tread depths and new entrances. The challenge contains changing benches, including stadium seats in some sections, further aisles, and including handrails for security. New intermediate aisles shall be situated between the present entrances, decreasing the quantity of seating between aisles.

 

Following the 2023 soccer season, the south shall be changed in a similar way. The challenge contains new entrances on the decrease 200 ranges, changing benches, including stadium seats, further aisles and including handrails.

 

This renovation will preserve the general imaginative and prescient of Boone Pickens Stadium intact, marrying the north, west and south seating sections, and sustaining the present 100, 200 and 300 degree seating bowl ranges.

 

 

Softball Stadium

The plan features a new softball facility partially situated on the previous website of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. The new dwelling of Cowgirl Softball will present fashionable facilities appropriate for a premier collegiate softball program and can embody championship caliber player-development areas. In addition, typical chairback seating, tailgating corrals, and household pleasant areas to boost the fan expertise are deliberate.

 

Following the demolition of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium, the challenge will even create alternatives for extra parking for on-campus residents.

 

 

Indoor Track and Field

The males’s and ladies’s observe and discipline packages assist over 100 student-athletes. These athletes require year-round coaching and competitors house. The imaginative and prescient plan proposes an indoor observe and discipline facility south of the present out of doors observe and discipline advanced. The proposed website is bordered by McElroy Road to the north, the Sherman E. Smith Training Center to the south, the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center to the west, and North Knoblock Street to the east.

 

This parcel of land is ideally sized for a full indoor observe program. It will embody a 200 meter banked observe, indoor discipline occasion house, spectator seating, athletic coaching rooms, workforce assembly/theater areas, locker rooms, participant lounges, and workplaces for teaching workers.

 

In addition to strengthening coaching and growth for the observe and discipline packages, this new facility will act as a dynamic new recruiting device for an already nationally distinguished program.

 

 

 

Wrestling Practice Facility

Cowboy Wrestling is probably the most profitable program within the historical past of the NCAA, no matter sport. Entering the 2022-23 tutorial yr, Oklahoma State wrestling had received 34 workforce nationwide championships, 143 particular person NCAA championships and had 475 All-Americans. The plan proposes an addition to the present facility, which might assist the continuing success of OSU Wrestling.

 

While this system just lately obtained an improve to its locker room, further house is required to maintain the success of this system.

 

This addition will enhance the dimensions of the wrestling room, permitting for extra mat house and championship-level workforce facilities. While the workforce will all the time compete contained in the well-known Gallagher-Iba Arena, the coaching facility will characteristic a devoted house for spectators that may improve recruiting and donor visits. This coaching facility will even home workplace and assembly areas for the teaching workers.

 

 

 

Basketball Practice Facility

OSU’s basketball packages have a wealthy historical past of success. Since the Cowboys’ first recreation in 1908, OSU has received two nationwide championships and appeared in six Final Fours. In the Big 12, solely Kansas exceeds these totals. With 17 postseason appearances and three convention championships, the Cowgirls are persevering with to construct on an already-established custom.

 

While having the advantage of using the sport courtroom and backdrop of Gallagher-Iba Arena for apply will be a bonus for each packages, at instances they’re displaced throughout different athletic and campus occasions. A brand new apply facility is crucial in serving to each basketball packages proceed to recruit, develop and practice student-athletes to compete for convention and nationwide championships.

 

The imaginative and prescient plan proposes an addition on the south aspect of the world, which can characteristic two apply courts, and different championship-caliber coaching areas.

 

 

Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center

Building off the historic 2021-22 season through which this system captured its eighth Big 12 Conference title and its first general NCEA nationwide championship, a number of updates to Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center are deliberate.

 

Similar in dimension and scope to the Atherton Family Arena, an extra coated enviornment shall be added to the Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center.

 

Currently the first apply enviornment, the Atherton Family Arena is a 135×270 sq. foot coated enviornment. The workforce additionally makes use of the Totusek Indoor Arena, a 100×200 foot climate-controlled facility. The Pedigo-Hull Equestrian Center consists of a saddling barn that features coaches’ workplaces, locker rooms, a tack room and an athletic coaching satellite tv for pc workplace. It additionally has a 24-stall horse barn with out of doors runs and several other paddocks and pastures. A brand new multipurpose workforce constructing that features a workforce lounge with research space and a fueling station was accomplished in 2021.

 

 

Karsten Creek Golf Course

Opened in 1994, Karsten Creek Golf Course was rapidly named the “Best New Course” within the nation by Golf Digest. The undulating fairways and difficult bunkers had been initially created by famend golf course designer Tom Fazio. Complementing the course are the clubhouse, three multi-level visitor lodges, and a apply and instructing facility. While the course and associated facilities have stood the take a look at of time, renovations are wanted to enhance the amenities infrastructure, create a tougher course, and improve the abilities of the student-athlete.

 

Course enhancement will embody new irrigation, drainage, fairways, cart paths, and greens. Bunkers and tee containers shall be adjusted to extend the problem of play and advance the abilities of the golfers. The apply facility will even be renovated to enhance the tee containers, touchdown zones, quick recreation space and apply placing greens.

 

Originally constructed in 1997, the indoor apply facility shall be upgraded to incorporate state-of-the-art gear.

 

 

Gallagher-Iba Arena Welcome Plaza

Since 1938, Gallagher-Iba Arena has been often called one of many nice venues in collegiate athletics. Over time, nevertheless, the unique east facade of the constructing has misplaced its distinctive prominence as the principle gateway of the venue. This challenge seeks to revive this entrance, creating the welcome that OSU followers and athletes deserve. The plan additionally proposes including premium parking and tailgating experiences to boost the fan expertise from the second they arrive for an occasion.

 

The proposed Gallagher-Iba Welcome Plaza parking enlargement will create roughly 250 new parking areas nestled in a park-like setting.

 

In addition to creating parking, public plaza and walkway, followers will expertise an arrival sequence much like that of Boone Pickens Stadium. With new fan-focused choices, OSU could have new alternatives to generate income.