UNF announces plans for Varsity Village

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Among a crowd of boosters, athletics administrators and coaches, as well as local media members in the Key Buick Press Box at Hodges Stadium, University of North Florida Director of Athletics Dr. Richard Gropper announced plans for the UNF Varsity Village Tuesday night.

The estimated $30 million project will bring two new athletic facilities to UNF as well as upgrades to a host of current athletics facilities.

“This is a very exciting time in UNF Athletics, and as we move deeper into this NCAA Division I transition all facets of what we do must continue to grow, and that includes our athletic facilities,” Gropper said. “We would not be able to take on a project like this without the tremendous support we have received from our booster organization, the Osprey Club, as well as an administration at UNF that supports what we are doing every step of the way.”

Among the upgrades the UNF Varsity Village incorporates will be improvements to UNF Arena and an expanded swimming and diving facility that will house office space for coaches and a locker room for student-athletes.

The plan also calls for a student wellness and sports education center, which will incorporate a state-of-the-art fitness area for all UNF students.

A new baseball stadium that seats 3,000 fans is in the plans for UNF's northern property, with Harmon Stadium slated to be renovated into a 1,200-seat softball stadium.

Portions of the project have already begun with the completion of the Key Buick Press Box on the top level of Hodges Stadium along with the addition of stadium lighting, seating and a nine-lane track. Construction of a new strength and conditioning facility in the Wilkins Center at Hodges Stadium made possible by lead gifts from John Hayt and Tony Weight completed construction in August, while the resurfacing of the tennis courts at the UNF Tennis Complex took place in the summer of 2007. Improvements still to come at Hodges Stadium include synthetic turf and a new scoreboard among other items.

“We want our student-athletes at UNF to have a chance to compete at some of the finest facilities around and to be proud of the place they call home,” Osprey Club President Brian Goin said. “We have a great platform to start from, and when our opponents come in to play at our place they are really going to be amazed by our facilities.”

Facilities plans for UNF Varsity Village (Click here to view a larger rendering)

UNF Arena

Future upgrades: Locker rooms, athletics offices, scoreboard, seating restoration

Planned additions: Video room, academic support area, hall of fame/recruiting lounge

Hodges Stadium

Future upgrades: Synthetic turf, scoreboard

Planned additions: Equipment storage room, laundry facility, ticket box offices

Projects completed: Nine-lane track, strength and conditioning center, press box, seating, lights, strength and conditioning facility

New Facilities

- 3,000 seat baseball stadium located on the northern property entrance of campus

- Renovations to Harmon Stadium that will reconfigure the playing surface to yield a 1,200-seat softball stadium

Additional Facilities/Improvements

- Storage facilities for grounds and maintenance

- Women's golf facility

- Women' swimming and diving facility that will include locker rooms for student-athletes as well as offices for coaches and equipment storage

- Student wellness and sports education center

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