Major donor commits $1 million, SOU plans to raise remaining $2 million

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news

An anonymous major donor to Southern Oregon University has committed $1 million toward a $3 million new softball complex that could be ready for next season’s first pitch if plans to replace the current complex move ahead as planned.

SOU’s Athletic Director Matt Sayre told Ashland.news via phone on Friday afternoon that the complex will be funded entirely through fundraisers, and he will be trying to raise the remaining $2 million. With personnel cuts from SOU Forward spreading out the workload of what once was a dedicated maintenance worker for the field, Sayre said a new artificial turf field should reduce the demand for maintenance, as well as create an optimal playing experience for players, and viewing experience for fans.

“That softball program has won three national championships underneath Coach (Jessica) Pistole, and they’re playing on a field that we redid in 2001 when we added the program, and they’ve been playing on it ever since,” said Sayre, who’s in his 14th year as athletic director. “It’s time to give them the facility they deserve and that they’ve earned with their national performances.”

The new complex will include a new grand entrance, restroom, ticket booth, bleachers and dugouts, all backdropped by Grizzly Peak.

“There’ll be no prettier place to play softball in the northwest,” Sayre said.

Design for the new field will level the field, whereas currently, the field has a 2-foot difference in grade between home plate and the outfield.

“If you actually stand in right field and look at our field now, the field slopes about 2 feet to the outfield, so you lose about 2 feet in elevation,” Sayre said. “There’s actually going to be almost a 4-feet difference between when you walk in and the surface of the field.”

Special attention has been given to making the bleachers more comfortable for older fans and there will be ADA-accessible viewing areas.

“Once the season begins in 2025, we’d like to be on our new field,” Sayre said.

Prior to the softball program in 2001, Sayre said the field was a baseball field, used for a club team at the university in the 1980s. Sayre said the infield and the grass have been maintained well since 2001, but “as far as the surface of the field, we haven’t done a whole lot to it (since then),” he said.

That will soon change as Sayre said the plan is to install an artificial turf field.

Currently, the field uses water from Talent Irrigation District, with the option to use city of Ashland water.

“The problem now is that it’s hard to keep water on it and it’s expensive to water a field anymore, so converting to a completely turf field will cut immensely down on maintenance, but also save us a lot of water as well.”

Currently, Sayre said the field can freeze, get wet and turn to mud, and needs soil amendments to break up the soil.

With an all-weather turf field, Sayre said that players can play during more conditions

“We’ll be able to play when conditions are tough to play on a regular, natural field,” he said.

“With rain, a turf field can absorb more water. You can still play on it when it’s wet where you can’t on a grass or a dirt infield.

The SOU Board of Trustees conditionally approved the project in mid-January for a price range of between $2.4 million and $3.7 million, including a $305,000 for design services. The amount is part of the $1 million contribution.

Sayre emphasized that the project will be 100% fundraised and will not impact the university’s budget.

A contractor for the project is set to be selected soon, according to Sayre.

Sayre said a contractor is anticipated to break ground on the project this summer, with construction continuing into the fall and winter. The hope is to have the complex completed by the start of the 2025 season, which officially begins in January. The team will practice at Lithia & Driveway fields this fall and winter while the new complex is under construction, according to Bobby Heiken, associate athletic director.

“Anybody who loves our softball program and wants to see them have the field and complex they deserve, please give us a call,” Sayre said.

To reach the Athletic Department, contact Sayre at 541-552-6772.

SOU plays at home next at 2 p.m. Friday, April 12, in the first game of a double-header against British Columbia. Game two is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at hollyd@ashland.news.

April 4: Corrected to say project expected to be complete by early 2025, not fall 2025. Information also added about project timeline and where team will practice while construction is underway.