Surrounded by alumni, team officials, and faculty, university members broke ground on Wilkins Stadium renovations on Saturday morning.
Brad Pittman, athletic director for athletic facilities, said the renovation contract was awarded to Crossland Construction with Tessere as the architect.
The first phase of renovations will be adding an indoor practice facility, including batting cages, a full-size infield, heating and air conditioning. Previously, the softball team shared the Bombardier-Learjet Practice Facility with the baseball team.
“Having a space for our girls to call their own, to go in and hit and pitch and do defense any time they want,” head softball coach Kristi Bredbenner said. “I mean, those are the things that you pray for in your program.”
Pittman said he hopes to have the indoor facility finished by at least mid-to-late March during the 2025 softball season as part of the first phase. The indoor facility will take the place of the outdoor Heskett Center pickleball courts along the west side of Wilkins Stadium.
After the indoor practice facility is built, the team operations building will go under construction as the amount of staff have increased during Bredbenner’s tenure.
“We’ve gone from … probably three full-time employees, to 10 or 11 that are bouncing in and out of that building,” Bredbenner said.
Pittman described the office building as having eight offices for the coaching staff and other team officials. It will also contain a classroom for about 30 people that can be used for film review or team meetings. Wichita State Athletic Director Kevin Saal also said the office will be connected to the south wall of the practice facility.
After words by Wichita State President Muma, Bredbenner, deputy athletic director Madison Stein-Mason, softball player Lauren Lucas and Saal, the ground was symbolically broken as shovels dug into the dirt of the outdoor courts next to the Heskett Center.
Pittman said the construction will start to mobilize next week and break ground in a few days for the first phase. The rest of the phase will be the team operations building and the rest of the renovations will be dedicated toward the fan experience.
“We’ll continue to do some of those things that really elevate softball in our community but also nationally,” Saal said. “So we had 50 hours of cable television with the Shocker in the middle of that field, which is huge for recruiting.”
The first phase will cost $9.65 million. There is still $3 million needed to complete the fundraising, though.
“Our goal is to complete fundraising by the end of ‘24,” Pittman said.
