.;LY CoLi.KGIAN Practice fields to be replaced By Tom Copain | COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER j tecso26fipsu.edu ' The Penn State soccer programs are getting new practice fields at Jeffrey Field next season, part of an program that could eventu ally include improvements to the stadium itself. ' The $2.9 million project will replace the current practice fields with fenced-in fields. , Construction will begin after this season and will be complete by the spring or summer of next year, said Mark Bodenschatz, associate athlet ic director of facilities and opera tions at Penn State. The men s soccer team currently practices on the smaller field next to Jeffrey Field and on the old baseball field Beaver Field which still features the dirt diamond. The women's program practices on the Intramural Fields across Park Avenue. "We're playing on fields that are uneven. We re playing on fields that are undulating, and that's not good for soccer," Penn State men's soccer coach Barry Gorman said. ' It's not good for a soccer player running and trying to watch a ball at the same time where there's physical contact. We need to have better facilities, and hats off to the administration. They're doing something about it." The plan to improve the fields dates back to 1996. when a study of the intercollegiate athletic programs found Penn State needed to upgrade the facilities. At the time of the study. Jeffrey Field had a capacity of 3.500. The stadium now holds 5.000 and fea tures a press box. Since the study, The practice field issue, though, •"'H'-; . New American V - Cuisine '- 4 4 , \ \ Full bar service \* \ \ ... iV-v Independently owned \ * Upstate dining/ \ casual atmosphere Menus online • HarnsonsMenu.com 1221 Cast College Avenue • 814.237.4422 / \ WOttBpEI'RED BBQ Catering Takeout 360-1140 WWW.CIEMSFIRE.COM *B!#’ Sec Ball « MU Till Mi Siit. r OTKM IK|| ®^p*» Will (rat Field of Dreams Penn State's Jeffrey Field will see changes in the future. Upcoming changes: - New, fenced-in practice fields Proposed changes: - Team offices - Concession stands - Public restrooms - Team locker rooms wasn’t addressed until recently. "When the new baseball stadium fMedlar Field at Lubrano Park] came online, the old baseball stadi um became available,” Bodenschatz said. When the project is complete, the IM Fields will be used exclusively for the intramural program. The coming changes may be just a few of many for Penn State's soccer facilities. Penn State wants to add locker rooms, concession stands and team offices to the Jeffrey Field complex, Gorman said. Public rest rooms may also be added. “If people are going to come out and watch in this day and age, they don't expect to go to a Port-A-Potty,' Gorman said. Bodenschatz confirmed the plans but said funding hasn't been secured yet. Like the project for the practice fields, Penn State must wait for a donor to back the project. The capi tal plan for the athletics department does not currently have the funds to add locker rooms or concession stands to Jeffrey Field. "We're dependent on philanthrop ic donations,” Bodenschatz said. Satirlsv, Sept 22 7:01 PM leelaH IS.IIGKUVfH mnesin.seyLzs IstriTirfHeM Jenna Beckwith, program coordinator of the HIV Peer Risk Protection Program, speaks to crowd, Sorority program addresses issues, hopes to unite students By Jason Parham COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER | jap427@psu.edu Did you know that at least one col lege student dies every weekend from an alcohol-related death? Or that 50 percent of students at Penn State don't use a condom when engaging in sexual activity? Questions like these were posed to a crowd of about 100 students at "Start Right. Stay Alive Don't Become Another Statistic,” a pro gram hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha sororitv in Pollock Rec Room. The purpose of the program was to raise awareness about issues within the minority community that stu dents might not otherwise know about. "We re giving students information they may know but with a different twist.” said Jamila Beale (senior aerospace engineering), vice presi dent of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sororitv. Starts NAMENT ij, Sept. 23 All Day Eveit LOCAL aJftsbtri. aurgjrmounr maybe Ib’soPresh Italiaotoe, or o cool misfco™ Shake; moybe o mouth-watering Gelafci, creamy Frozen Custard, or our newest treat, Blendini? Visit uuwuj.ritQsice.com to Plnd a store near you. 119 East Beaver Avenue • State College, PA 16801 • (814) 231-1366 50* OFF ANV GELATI lihuiw «■ At participating locations. Not valid with any other offer Limit one offer per guest. Expires 10/31.'07. lAIV NllTlilN IHVITimiIML Sitirtar, left. 22 - Ml >q Enit LAIY NIITIERN INVITATIONAL SlltaJ.SqtH-UlijErat X VS. PENN Wedaeslav, Sept. 26 7:11 PM x Jeffrey field MMMffai seit 21 sS’nr Jeffrey Hell “It’s a laid-back educational pro gram," she said. The program also doubled as AKA’s Coalition PSU kick-off. Coali tion PSU promotes the idea of people staying united and is an initiative introduced by AKA aimed at unifying minority organizations on campus. “Our goal with Coalition PSU is to actively decrease violence against one another, excessive substance abuse and inner hatred within the community all of which were addressed in our program tonight,” Beale said. Terrell Graham (junior-supply chain and information systems) said he believes the program last night and the introduction of Coalition PSU is important for the Penn State com munity. “I think it’s very important to get minority organizations to work as one,” Graham said. "They can do a lot of good." The program specifically covered wanner Sept. 20-26th Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 I 3 issues with HIV/AIDS, alcoholism and violence in minority communi ties, including Penn State. “At Penn State, there are a lot of sexual things that go on.” Graham said. “I hope to take what I learned from this program and take it back to my community and educate them.” Toya Pratt (senior-biobehavioral health), AKA president, said this was just the beginning of many programs related with Coalition PSU. “We hope to unify the community, get them serious about striving to continue their studies and being actively and positively involved in the community," Pratt said. Representatives from National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Latino Caucus, National Pan-Hellenic Coun cil, National Association of Minorities in Communications (NAMIC) and the Penn State football team were pres ent to sign forms to be a part of and represent the coalition’s goals. 50* OFF ~„E£S ANV HIDB OR REGULAR TOPPER" axMo.4tiaAice.coni At participating locations. Not valid with any other offer. Limit one offer per guest. Expires 10/31/07 Tom Larrabee/Collegian