Coe College News

3 projects worth $49 million on the way

The next two years are scheduled to bring a phenomenal spurt of new sports facilities to the Metro area with massive projects planned at Coe College, Mount Mercy University and Prospect Meadows Ball Fields.

Coe has earmarked $20 million for its "Make Your Move" campaign to build a new performance arena on campus, along with a fitness center, new wrestling room and a bridge across College Drive to connect the new facilities to the Clark Racquet Center.

Mount Mercy plans to spend $15 million on its "Home Field Advantage" project to build a new stadium for soccer and track, a new baseball field and a new softball field on land next to campus.

Prospect Meadows has a price-tag of $14 million for a 17-field complex of eight regulation baseball fields, eight softball fields and one Miracle Field on land at the junction of Highway 13 and County Home Road just north of Marion.

All three projects are scheduled to break ground this year. Coe and Mount Mercy plan to get started this spring, while Prospect Meadows hopes to get started sometime in 2016 if the next phase of its fundraising falls into place.

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Coe unveils $23 million project

Eby Fieldhouse was constructed at Coe College in 1929 when the United States was on the eve of the Great Depression and the liberal arts school in northeast Cedar Rapids had approximately 150 student-athletes on campus.

Now it's time for a major makeover that will cost $23 million, making it the largest capital project in college history.

Coe officially unveiled its "Make Your Move" campaign Friday afternoon to build a new performance arena, a new fitness center and a new wrestling room. Eby Fieldhouse will be renovated and used as a recreational and practice facility and all the facilities will be connected to the Clark Racquet Center by a bridge across College Drive.

The cost of the athletic facilities has been pegged at $20 million. In addition, the school plans to spend another $3 million to renovate and expand Hickok Hall, an academic building on campus.

Ground-breaking for the project is set for April or May in 2016, with a completion date of August in 2017.

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Coe inducting 4 into Hall of Fame

Coe College will induct four new members into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame next weekend.

Peggy Schmitt Goerdt, Rajesh Venkatraman, Chris Weih and Bob Timmons will be honored at the 43rd Athletic Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, Oct. 16 and will be featured before Coe's football game against Simpson on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Goerdt (1990) left a lasting mark on the Coe softball program. Her 11 triples as a freshman still stands as the school record. She was named a second team All-American in 1990 at first base and her 40 RBIs stood as a single-season Coe record for a decade.

Goerdt's 23 career triples are still a school record and she graduated with a school-record 106 RBIs, which now ranks sixth in school history.

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Coe plans new $20 million sports facilities

Coe College plans to build a new gymnasium as part of an estimated $20 million facelift for its athletic facilities, multiple sources have told the Metro Sports Report.

The new "Performance Gymnasium" would be the major piece of the athletic and recreation project, which also would include a new wrestling practice room, a fitness area, new locker rooms, offices and a training room.

An architect's rendition of the project is on display on campus in the Nassif House, where the admissions office is located.

Coe officials have declined comment on the project so far. A public announcement is expected next week.

The "Performance Gymnasium" would be built behind Eby Fieldhouse on land that is now a parking lot. Eby Fieldhouse, which was constructed in 1929, would be retained as a practice and recreation facility.

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