2008 guide - Ohio Wesleyan University

2008 Ohio Wesleyan FootballHome of the BishopsThe Battling Bishop football team plays its home games atSelby Field, located on South Henry Street on the eastern edge ofcampus.Selby received an OmniGrass artificial playing surface forthe 2006-07 academic year, making the venue one of the mostimpressive among NCAA Division III institutions.Built in 1929, Selby boasts a seating capacity of 9100, withall seats falling between the 15-yard lines of the field. Its pressbox was lauded as “the largest in Ohio outside of Ohio Stadium.”Ohio Wesleyan opened Selby with a 52-0 romp over Marietta onSept. 18, 1929, and the field was formally dedicated on Oct. 19 ofthat year, with the Bishops defeating Miami, 20-12.Designed by George Gauthier, Ohio Wesleyan’s Hall ofFame football coach and athletic director, and constructed bythe Osborn Engineering Company (which also built YankeeStadium), the complex was named after George D. Selby, whoAthletic FacilitiesSelby FieldThe crown jewel of Ohio Wesleyan’s athletic facilities is SelbyField, which is the home of the Bishop football, field hockey, track &field and men’s lacrosse contingents.An OmniGrass artificial playing surface was installed for the2006-07 academic year, making Selby one of the most impressivevenues among NCAA Division III institutions. Constructed in 1929,Selby received a new, fully-enclosed 2-level press box and newbleacher seats in the first part of a 3-phase restoration programand refurbished locker rooms in the program’s second phase. Thefacility, which seats 9100 and is the fourth-largest college-ownedfield in NCAA Division III, was the site of the 1988 Division III men’slacrosse championship game.Selby also houses the George Gauthier Track, an Ameritan FPsurface installed for the 2006-07 academic year. The site of 17 of thefirst 24 North Coast Athletic Conference outdoor track & field championships,Selby is believed to be the oldest facility in the nationconstructed to Olympic specifications and remaining in its originalconfiguration.Across campus, Roy Rike Field hosts soccer, primarily underthe lights. Widely regarded as one of the Midwest’s finest facilitiesfor the sport, Roy Rike Field was the site of the NCAA Division IIIsemifinals and championship game for men in 1990 and 1998 andfor women in 2001. Roy Rike also serves as the home field for thewomen’s lacrosse team.The centerpiece of Ohio Wesleyan’s athletic facilities is theBranch Rickey Physical Education Center, prized for both its size andserved the Ohio Wesleyan board of trustees for 24 years. His sons,Mark, Homer, Pearl and Roger, contributed $100,000 of the project’s$160,000 cost.Selby Field recently underwent a restoration project that includeda new, 2-level press box, new bleacher seats and refurbishedlocker rooms.Selby also houses the George Gauthier Track, an AmeritanFP track installed for the 2006-07 academic year. The site of 17 ofthe first 24 NCAC outdoor track & field championships, Selby is believedto be the oldest facility in the nation constructed to Olympicspecifications and remaining in its original configuration.Prior to 1929, the Bishops played their home games at EdwardsField, the site of today’s Branch Rickey Center. Games played beforethe turn of the century were played in various locations. OhioWesleyan's first game was played in the hollow between presentdayPhillips Hall and Delaware Run, across the street from Selby.Gordon Field Houseversatility. Its Richard Gordon Field House, with a 5-lane, 200-metertrack, annually hosted the Ohio Athletic Conference championshipsand the women’s state title meet as well as the first 9NCAC championships. Indoor practice for fall and spring sportscan be handled there as well: floor space is larger than a footballfield, accommodating 6 courts for basketball, volleyball and tennis.Branch Rickey Arena, seating 2300, hosts varsity basketballand volleyball contests. Also in the Center are 5 handball/racquetballcourts, a squash court, offices, locker rooms and lounges.Offices and locker rooms also are part of Edwards Gymnasium,which is connected by tunnel to the Rickey Center and inturn adjoins Pfeiffer Natatorium, home of the Bishop swimmingteams. Remodeling in Edwards has recently included an expandedstrength facility.Softball is played at Margaret Sagan Field, which opened duringthe 2008 season. Baseball is played at Littick Field, site of the2003 NCAA Division III Mideast Regional; and tennis at the TennisCentre, a complex of 12 outdoor courts where the 1978 NCAA DivisionIII championships were held.The cross country teams run at nearby Methodist TheologicalSchool and Delaware Golf Club, which hosted the NCAA Division IIImen’s and women’s championships in 1984 and 2005 and annuallyplays host to the All-Ohio Intercollegiate championship meet. Thegolf team also hosted the 2003 NCAA Division III championships atthe Delaware Golf Club.