By: Reed Blaszczyk
Moving from Division II to Division I comes with many requirements teams must meet to play games and matches. New showers, bathrooms in dugouts, and lights on all fields are some requirements that Bellarmine needs to make.
The Atlantic Sun Conference gives each school four years to start making these changes or risk getting kicked out of the ASUN, which BU joined in 2021. A four-year probation period is also in effect, making teams wait to compete in the NCAA tournaments until 2025.
If requirements are not met by 2025, BU will remain on probation and be ineligible to compete in any NCAA tournaments.
“Things like lights on the field, more seating, and bathrooms in the dugouts need to be met by our 2025 season. If these things don’t get taken care of, we are at risk for not competing in the NCAA tournament until they are done,” softball assistant coach Paige Murphy said.
Baseball and softball require the most changes. From a new stadium to proper streaming cameras to lights on the field, baseball and softball have the biggest requirements to be met by 2025. This is will all be paid for through donations and fundraising done by student athletes, the university, and the community, said softball head coach de la Haba.
One of the things players and coaches are excited about are the cameras that must be put into each dugout and in center field to stream games on ESPN+. Fans can watch games from anywhere and not worry about travel.
“The biggest thing for us is the ability to stream our games. Right now, we have our small network we use called the Bellarmine Sports Network. With the addition of cameras, we will be able to get more visibility from the public through streaming on ESPN+,” de la Haba said.
Some things have already changed on the softball and baseball fields since Bellarmine joined the ASUN. Most of these improvements deal with the surface of the field. The bullpen for both teams has been upgraded to fully artificial turf so pitchers can get practice in any kind of weather.
“Most of the changes will be about changing the turf, getting lights, more seating and things like that are at the beginning of what we are going to start doing,” de la Haba said.
The biggest challenge the softball team faces is changing the surface. The softball field is a mix of dirt and grass but also sits in a flood plain. The ground underneath the grass and dirt will be soft from constant flooding, and laying turf down requires a hard surface.
“Changing our surface requires a lot of digging in the ground. We are afraid underneath the surface would be too soft because of flooding to apply turf because you must have a hard base,” de la Haba said.
Bellarmine field hockey now plays home matches at the University of Louisville. Since joining the ASUN, field hockey is required to play all matches on “water-based turf,” which reduces friction and improves speed and consistency for the roll of the ball. Basketball moved all home games to Freedom Hall. More seating in the arena allows for a bigger fan base and a better experience for players and fans.
Not only do these improved facilities affect players on the field, but they help them in the classroom. Students may feel more valued and appreciated, which may give them more motivation to do well in the classroom, said Andrew Schroeder, director of academic & support services for student-athletes.
“On the surface people would ask ‘How does a new dugout help you do better in the classroom?’ It’s human nature, we all want to feel comfortable and appreciated,” Schroeder said. “I feel these changes to facilities help players feel valued and in return give a better effort in the classroom.”
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