UConn Soccer Getting $8M Gift; Hoop Facility Next In Line

[jostar1]

Tony Rizza, a former UConn soccer player and a highly successful investment manager, has made the largest gift ever to UConn athletics. The $8 million gift, targeted for a new soccer stadium is scheduled to be announced Monday at a campus press conference.

That's step one in what could be a big fundraising week for UConn athletics. In addition to the Rizza gift, it appears there will be a naming rights announcement for what has been called the UConn Basketball Champions Center, which will have its dedication Friday. The UConn foundation sent a teaser on Twitter Friday indicating there would be two announcements this week with photos of both Joe Morrone Stadium and the champions center.

The exterior sign for the basketball building now has another set of letters, but those letters are covered by a white canvas.

Naming rights for a building such as this, home to the national champion men's and women's basketball teams, would normally mean a multimillion dollar gift. Former men's coach Jim Calhoun, women's coach Geno Auriemma and current men's coach Kevin Ollie have all extolled the virtues of a first-rate basketball practice facility. Now they have it, and we'll learn the name on Friday.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-uconn-soccer-donation-1012-20141011-story.html

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Ray?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Great news for UConn soccer and UConn athletics overall. A $8 million gift is serious. y only confusion is that I thought based on the new master plan, the new soccer stadium would be moved to the intersection of Alumni and Stadium (now Jim Calhoun Way) on what is now a soccer practice field and what used to be the field hockey field. Softball would be moved between the basketball center and the track.

I wonder how much and who the basketball complex is being named after?

What about hockey? That's a big one as it has to be on campus in accordance to the agreement with Hockey East, I believe.

 

[FDNY99]

Great news for UConn soccer and UConn athletics overall. A $8 million gift is serious. y only confusion is that I thought based on the new master plan, the new soccer stadium would be moved to the intersection of Alumni and Stadium (now Jim Calhoun Way) on what is now a soccer practice field and what used to be the field hockey field. Softball would be moved between the basketball center and the track.

I wonder how much and who the basketball complex is being named after?

What about hockey? That's a big one as it has to be on campus in accordance to the agreement with Hockey East, I believe.

Ice hockey barn/team facility is in the final planning stages...it looks to be a 200,000 gsf (gross square ft) facility. To compare the facility at Quinnipiac is 185,000 for BOTH hockey & basketball.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Ice hockey barn/team facility is in the final planning stages...it looks to be a 200,000 gsf (gross square ft) facility. To compare the facility at Quinnipiac is 185,000 for BOTH hockey & basketball.

Thanks. I am still hoping for a combo basketball/hockey game arena on-campus (hockey practice at the current rink). Any word where the hockey center will be located?

 

[FDNY99]

Thanks. I am still hoping for a combo basketball/hockey game arena on-campus (hockey practice at the current rink). Any word where the hockey center will be located?

Last I heard from a friend of mine who works in public safety at UCONN the following sites have been mentioned:
X Lot property, the corner of 195 and 275 and where the Fieldhouse is located.

 

[CL82]

Ray?

We could do worse than having "The Ray Allen Center."

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Last I heard from a friend of mine who works in public safety at UCONN the following sites have been mentioned:
X Lot property, the corner of 195 and 275 and where the Fieldhouse is located.

Hope they don't tear down the Fieldhouse. Track & Field needs it for indoor along with intermurals and the general student population.

 

[tcf15]

Pretty sure UConn's building a new gym where X Lot currently is. ADimeBack.com had sources tell them the new hockey arena will be on the corner of 275 and 195, where the Mansfield apartments are: http://adimeback.com/uconn-hockey-may-have-new-on-campus-home/

 

[buddy]

I think this is a nice thing, but I don't think it impacts on CR.

 

[huskymedic]

Hope they don't tear down the Fieldhouse. Track & Field needs it for indoor along with intermurals and the general student population.

Not sure about the what the plans are for indoor track and field sanctioned events but intermurals and other general student uses would covered in the proposed new student recreation center.

http://recreation.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2013.08.06_Rec-Ctr-DRAFT-9.pdf

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Not sure about the what the plans are for indoor track and field sanctioned events but intermurals and other general student uses would covered in the proposed new student recreation center.

http://recreation.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2013.08.06_Rec-Ctr-DRAFT-9.pdf

I went to UConn before Burton was built. Thus, I do not know if Burton is also used by other UConn athletic teams for indoor events such as track & field, baseball, and soccer. Is it? My concern here is if the Fieldhouse is leveled, which I question especially because the track diagrammed in the rec center proposals is not competition grade and size, would UConn students lose access to the rec center whenever track needs to practice or the soccer team is hosting a winter indoor tournament. UConn's student body is large enough today to support having more than one rec facility.

 

[ETSA]

Pretty sure UConn's building a new gym where X Lot currently is. ADimeBack.com had sources tell them the new hockey arena will be on the corner of 275 and 195, where the Mansfield apartments are: http://adimeback.com/uconn-hockey-may-have-new-on-campus-home/

There's a thread on the hockey forum about the possible location for he hockey arena. I posted a link there to a power point presentation about UCONN capital projects. On page seven the background picture shows the hockey arena on the site of the Mansfield apartments.
http://paes.uconn.edu/Public_Next_Generations_CT_Outreach_Pres_9-18-2014.pdf
There is also a lot of yellow - new buildings/expansions/connections, etc. all around the fieldhouse and Gampel. Anybody have some more info about that?

The hockey forum discussion is here:
http://the-boneyard.com/threads/185-000-gsf-hockey-arena-planned.65316/

I'm really looking forward to seeing a presentation of the final Master Plan later this fall.

 

[CL82]

Pretty sure UConn's building a new gym where X Lot currently is. ADimeBack.com had sources tell them the new hockey arena will be on the corner of 275 and 195, where the Mansfield apartments are: http://adimeback.com/uconn-hockey-may-have-new-on-campus-home/

I am interested in reading that master plan when it comes out. A more logical choice would be over by Jim Calhoun Way and Separatist Road. They must have plans for that area. Does anyone know where the baseball stadium is going?

 

[CL82]

An article in the Courant has the new stadium being built at the site of the current stadium and retaining the same name.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnClub12:16pm via Twitter for iPhone
We are very pleased to announce @UConnMSOC alum @Tonyrizza has made a $5 million gift to support a enhancements to Morrone Stadium!

UConnClub12:18pm via Twitter for iPhone
.@Tonyrizza gift to support @UConnMSOC & @UConnWSOC is the largest individual gift made in support of @UConnHuskies athletics! #thankyou

UConnMSOC12:19pm via Twitter for Android
Manuel announces there will be an architect hired by the end of the month. A design plan will be in place by the end of the year. #UConn

UCGoalPatrol12:20pm via Twitter for iPhone
Warde: "This gift should send a message: That UConn Athletics is as strong as it's ever been.

UConnClub12:21pm via Twitter for iPhone
.@UConnMSOC coach Ray Reid has pledged $100,000 in support of the new stadium enhancements!pic.twitter.com/9eaGTsSc1F

Jacobscourant12:30pm via Twitter for iPhone
Rizza gave $3 million a couple of years ago anonymously. Wanted to do same with $5 million this time but convinced to come forward

UConnClub1:00pm via Twitter for iPhone
Rise to the challenge and make a gift to support the stadium enhancement fund by visiting foundation.uconn.edu/uconn-soccer-s…

 

[tcf15]

Looks like UConn wanted $10 million for the naming rights to the practice facility- wonder if that's what they got: http://www.uconnbasketballcenter.com/#help.html

 

[HuskyFan16]

I'm really hoping for either the Senhore Testiculo or MakersMuppet Champions Center.

 

[Fishy]

I am interested in reading that master plan when it comes out. A more logical choice would be over by Jim Calhoun Way and Separatist Road. They must have plans for that area. Does anyone know where the baseball stadium is going?

I would have to think baseball will remain in place - that facility is last on the hit list and it's hard to see where else it can go. I think it will be a while before we hear anything concrete there - probably a couple of years. (We need some of the current MLB'ers to hit it rich with new contracts!)

We need to send a mole to smuggle out the hockey plans. That's where the intrigue is.

 

[dbmill]

Excellent news. Every year I earmark my UConn athletic donations to the stadium enhancement funds for soccer and baseball. It will finally be nice to see something happening with one of these stadiums.

Everything I've heard about the baseball field is that it will stay in place. I'm guessing from this announcement that the hockey rink is indeed heading elsewhere on campus, but where?

 

[buddy]

UConnClub12:16pm via Twitter for iPhone
We are very pleased to announce @UConnMSOC alum @Tonyrizza has made a $5 million gift to support a enhancements to Morrone Stadium!

UConnClub12:18pm via Twitter for iPhone
.@Tonyrizza gift to support @UConnMSOC & @UConnWSOC is the largest individual gift made in support of @UConnHuskies athletics! #thankyou

UConnMSOC12:19pm via Twitter for Android
Manuel announces there will be an architect hired by the end of the month. A design plan will be in place by the end of the year. #UConn

UCGoalPatrol12:20pm via Twitter for iPhone
Warde: "This gift should send a message: That UConn Athletics is as strong as it's ever been.

UConnClub12:21pm via Twitter for iPhone
.@UConnMSOC coach Ray Reid has pledged $100,000 in support of the new stadium enhancements!pic.twitter.com/9eaGTsSc1F50

Jacobscourant12:30pm via Twitter for iPhone
Rizza gave $3 million a couple of years ago anonymously. Wanted to do same with $5 million this time but convinced to come forward

UConnClub1:00pm via Twitter for iPhone
Rise to the challenge and make a gift to support the stadium enhancement fund by visiting foundation.uconn.edu/uconn-soccer-s…

"UConn Athletics is as strong as it's ever been"? I don't get that message at all. I see an individual alum who has a great love for the university doing what he can to improve conditions for a sport that he loves. I am sure that UConn is very grateful for this donation as are many soccer fans, but it ends there and I do not see how this will make a difference in CR. Hockey, soccer, basketball all make no difference. I read that the donor felt that Lousiville's superior facilities got them to the ACC. I don't think so. Politics, savvy lobbying,and a 50,000 seat football stadium got them to the ACC. Does anyone here believe that UConn athletics is a strong as it has ever been?

 

[Fishy]

"UConn Athletics is as strong as it's ever been"? I don't get that message at all. I see an individual alum who has a great love for the university doing what he can to improve conditions for a sport that he loves. I am sure that UConn is very grateful for this donation as are many soccer fans, but it ends there and I do not see how this will make a difference in CR. Hockey, soccer, basketball all make no difference. I read that the donor felt that Lousiville's superior facilities got them to the ACC. I don't think so. Politics, savvy lobbying,and a 50,000 seat football stadium got them to the ACC. Does anyone here believe that UConn athletics is a strong as it has ever been?

Then why are you here?

This is exactly what we need - UConn telling people that we're still moving ahead and that we're doubling down on ourselves.

We have three reigning national champions on campus, a world-class basketball facility is named Friday, we've just made a massive leap and commitment in hockey and we're going to build a world-class soccer complex.

This is exactly what you want to see if alignment restarts.

Please God, let Diaco straighten out the football team, but when he does, UConn is the only P5-level athletic department not currently in one of the five conferences - broadly ambitious, broadly successful with the facilities and donors to keep moving forward.

That is what will help us, not sorority-girl s--- like posters in trains and ads on taxi cabs.

 

[zls44]

For sake...the guy just gave the athletic department the largest single donation in the history of the school. I think he's optimistic about its future.

Maybe everyone else should share the optimism of the guy who just put 7 digits on the personal check.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Then why are you here?

This is exactly what we need - UConn telling people that we're still moving ahead and that we're doubling down on ourselves.

We have three reigning national champions on campus, a world-class basketball facility is named Friday, we've just made a massive leap and commitment in hockey and we're going to build a world-class soccer complex.

This is exactly what you want to see if alignment restarts.

Please God, let Diaco straighten out the football team, but when he does, UConn is the only P5-level athletic department not currently in one of the five conferences - broadly ambitious, broadly successful with the facilities and donors to keep moving forward.

That is what will help us, not sorority-girl s--- like posters in trains and ads on taxi cabs.

The first time I read that my brain processed "Sorority girl train posters ads on taxi cabs". Totally different message but maybe equally as effective for CR purposes.

 

[buddy]

Then why are you here?

This is exactly what we need - UConn telling people that we're still moving ahead and that we're doubling down on ourselves.

We have three reigning national champions on campus, a world-class basketball facility is named Friday, we've just made a massive leap and commitment in hockey and we're going to build a world-class soccer complex.

This is exactly what you want to see if alignment restarts.

Please God, let Diaco straighten out the football team, but when he does, UConn is the only P5-level athletic department not currently in one of the five conferences - broadly ambitious, broadly successful with the facilities and donors to keep moving forward.

That is what will help us, not sorority-girl s--- like posters in trains and ads on taxi cabs.

I really really hope that you are correct.