SCSU, NSIC adjust to rain, floods

SCSU baseball coach Pat Dolan is a talkative guy, but even he doesn't like being on the phone this much.

Dolan spent six hours on the phone Wednesday trying to find a place for the Huskies and the University of Minnesota Duluth to play baseball this weekend.

"I am not going to lie and say it is not a hassle," said Dolan, whose Huskies are off to a 24-6 start.

"We have been working with fields from Austin to Minneapolis," Dolan said. "That's part of your job. You want to give the kids the best experience possible. That starts with playing games. We have been fortunate to get 30 games in before April 1. It's all worth it when you play the games."

The NSIC has put safety before games and has told teams not to risk injury to students.

"The safety of the athletes is far more important than a baseball or softball game," said Nick Kordner, assistant commissioner of the NSIC. "At this time of the year you never know what the weather will be like."

Dolan's team is one of many affected by unseasonal weather in the area. The baseball team moved a set of games on March 21 and 22 from SCSU to Freeman, S.D. They also had to postpone a weekend of games with the University of Mary because of the flooding in North Dakota.

Dolan was able to find a willing opponent in the University of Wisconsin-Superior to face the Huskies in Minnetonka.

"We lucked out on that one," Dolan said. "You got to feel bad for the people up in Bismarck. They physically couldn't leave the state. On short notice I looked at some different schedules. UW-Superior was already in the cities to play Concordia St. Paul."

SCSU softball has had to move a number of games as well. A double header with Minnesota State Mankato scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed and double headers this weekend have been moved from Moorhead on Friday and Crookston on Sunday to St. Cloud. The team has also moved a number of games into the Husky Dome.

"Saturday softball was inside, Sunday they tried outside," said athletic director Morris Kurtz. "They got the games in, the field wasn't great, but it was the first time outside all year."

Women's tennis was scheduled to take on Minnesota State Moorhead on last Sunday, but had to change opponents and meet with Minnesota State-Mankato in St. Peter.

"Our teams are anxious to get out," Kurtz said. "So you have to be flexible. Baseball played in Minnetonka, now they are looking at Austin. Softball played at 8 a.m. You have to look at where can the visiting team arrive at safely and what will the weather be like when you get there."

Kurtz said the entire coaching staff at SCSU is prepared for the challenges faced with weather in Minnesota. At the same time he was quick to point out that challenges here are miniscule compared to other places.

"Certainly challenging, but at the same time you have to empathize with the schools up in Fargo and Bismarck where the entire campus is shut down. Our challenges are not the same.

"We have coaches that are from the upper Midwest that know that this is always a possibility. Whatever it takes we are going to provide our student athletes with a safe environment to play games."

Dolan and Kurtz both would like to see FieldTurf installed at Faber Field. Dolan said that many of the games the Huskies have moved could have been played here.

"I know I am passionate about this FieldTurf and I am passionate because it helps out student athletes and gives them a good experience. If its 40 degrees you take the brush and sweep it all off, there is no dirt on the field, you can get games in even if there is snow on the side. It's really the answer," Dolan said.

"It's not only going to benefit St. Cloud but all the high schools that are practicing in the gymnasium right now. It will pay for itself within ten years. Youth baseball, men's and youth soccer and flag football could all use the field. Minnetonka's field is used 13-14 hours a day and it is only April.

"You don't have irrigation, fertilization, and manpower to do all the field maintenance. We have to work with the city, with the River Bats with the amateur teams in the summer. There are no rainouts. It is so much easier sliding on it and easier on the jerseys."

Kurtz said that he has toured facilities in throughout the Twin Cities and think FieldTurf will eventually be installed when the money is right.

"We have had discussions with the MAC. I think its something that everyone would be excited about when funding is available. It is not inexpensive.

Kurtz added that SCSU has similar setups with Husky Stadium and the National Hockey Center.

"It would be no different than other facilities. Come here in the fall and who is at Husky Stadium? Cathedral and Tech and Apollo. The football teams, the soccer teams. We are a university but we are also a resource for central Minnesota."