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Hamrick says MU needs to keep pace with C-USA schools on facilities

HURRICANE - Mike Hamrick called a vision a "dream with a deadline," and hinted to his biggest Marshall supporters Thursday that a deadline is fast approaching in regard to facility improvements.

It's not a hard and fast date over fundraising for the recently approved $30 million plan. It's just the fact that the 11 other schools in Conference USA haven't been sitting around twiddling their thumbs on their infrastructure, and the Herd faces the prospect of falling further behind.

Hamrick, who is wrapping up his second year as MU's athletic director, reminded the crowd at the Putnam County Big Green dinner of what he inherited when he arrived in 2009. He also promised that the proposed indoor practice center, soccer complex, academic center and sports medicine buildings are just the beginning.

"We've been stagnant," Hamrick said. "We're now in Conference USA; that's not the MAC, that's not I-AA. It's a whole different level.

"I did some research with all the Conference USA schools. The last five years, the Conference USA schools ... they put $500 million into new athletic facilities. In the last five years at Marshall University, we've put zero dollars.

"Every day we're falling behind because we're not doing something. Well guess what? We have a chance to catch up."

The boosters gathered at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club not only heard from Hamrick, they received their annual pep talks from football coach Doc Holliday and basketball coach Tom Herrion, plus baseball coach Jeff Waggoner.

Hamrick was also upbeat, lauding supporters for raising the overall Big Green membership level from 1,900 to above 3,000. He is looking for 4,000 in the next two years, as MU's athletic scholarship tab shoots toward the $6 million mark.

And he is looking for money to fund that facilities vision. About $19 million in private funds are needed to complete the just-approved package, and MU officials are going through the "silent phase" in raising those funds. Come August, it won't be so silent.

"We're going to ask every Marshall person to step forward, to help us financially," Hamrick said. "And help us to where it hurts a little bit. Because if it doesn't hurt, we can't build those facilities.

"We can do it; there's no question we can do it."

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Both Holliday and Herrion went over their teams and the challenges that lie ahead. Holliday said 61 of his 80 scholarship players will be freshmen and sophomores who will prepare for a schedule of seven road games and Virginia Tech at home.

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