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One of the things I love the most about Washington State University is the beautiful architecture. The stunning red brick not only gives a nod to the school's agricultural and engineering heritage, it looks glorious against those Palouse sunsets.
Why do we bring up architecture? The Cougar Athletic Fund has revamped its website and besides listing every person who is currently donating (did you guys know Sherwood's middle name is '& Megan'?) and giving potential donors myriad options to part with their money, the CAF debuted a section dedicated to capital projects that are currently on the docket.
I do have a small bit of bias in this area but I think it goes without saying that all these projects are spectacular. You already know about the football operations building which is nearing completion. You may not know about the planned improvements to the soccer field, Bailey-Brayton Field and the indoor practice facility. Each and every facility desperately needs an upgrade and the CAF will be the biggest driver of those projects. The estimated cost of each of these projects isn't listed on the site.
Indoor Practice Facility
First, the most striking project for my money is the indoor practice facility. Right now, the current Air Supported Structure (lovingly known as the ASS) is subpar. The field inside it is still Astroturf and the indoor track has been showing signs of wear and tear. This new building combines the best parts of WSU's architectural heritage and a modern, beautiful building. A new field the length of a regulation field will be installed along with a banked track for indoor running events and offices for coaches and athletes.
Soccer Complex
Soccer gets the major upgrades it has deserved for a long time. To me, the most important part is the permanent, covered stands on the north side of the field with what looks to be a modern media facility at mid-field. With more and more games being broadcast through the Pac-12 Networks, this is a badly needed upgrade as I'm sure Jeff Collier could attest to. A grand entrance complete with a concession stand, lights and a new scoreboard will make this one of the premiere facilities in the conference.
Baseball Clubhouse
The new baseball clubhouse looks like it will be built on the third base side of the field and will give the baseball team's players and coaches some of the amenities they've needed for a while: On-site locker rooms, academic centers and coaches offices. WSU has a rich baseball history not many fans know about, so the heritage area will go a long way towards remedying that. The deck on top of the building should serve as a great place to watch a ball game.
There's no time table on the site for the completion of these proposed projects but the soccer field should be getting its renovations beginning this fall.
If you'd like to donate to the CAF, you can find out more here.