Cottey to break ground March 30 on new softball field
The Cottey College Comets have wished for their own ball field to play upon for three years and now their field of dreams is about to become a reality. To celebrate this achievement, the public is cordially invited to the groundbreaking of the Vanek Family Memorial Field on Friday, March 30, at 4 p.m. The ceremony will take place immediately south of the Rubie Burton Academic Center.
Now in their third year of play, the Cottey Comets softball team has had no home field to call its own. Home games have been, and are being, played at Bushwhacker Field, south of Lyons Stadium on Highland Avenue.
The Comets will now have a home of their own, thanks to a generous donation from Dorothy Dyer Vanek for the construction of a home softball field for the Cottey Comets. Vanek has asked that the field be named the Vanek Family Memorial Field in memory of her daughters, Deborah and Nancy, and the Vanek family.
"Dorothy Vanek is an outstanding philanthropist; not just for Cottey, but for her home community of Tucson, Ariz., in particular" said Cottey President Dr. Judy Rogers. "She has been very involved with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and in 2010 was recognized as one of five outstanding individuals by the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for her financial contributions and volunteer hours."
"Dorothy's gift, given to Cottey's 'A Defining Moment' campaign, is so important to the athletic program at Cottey and to the recruitment of student-athletes," added Rogers. "Having a home field for the first time in the limited history of the Comets' softball program will not only show Cottey's commitment to this program to future players, but makes attending home games more accessible to the campus community as well. Soon students can walk across the street to watch Comets games instead of driving across town to see them."
"This new field is a huge deal for the softball program," said softball head coach Shelli Stanley. "We will actually have our own home field and I believe that the girls will have something to be proud of. This will help in recruiting and we can not be thankful enough to Dorothy Dyer Vanek for making this field possible. Our team, as well as the campus community, is very excited for the new field!"
Dorothy Vanek will be in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony along with members of the Cottey Comets softball team. Second-year player Kelly Spong will give remarks along with Nevada Mayor Brian Leonard, City Manager J.D. Kehrman, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gina Ensor, and Cottey President Dr. Judy Rogers.