Construction on campus continues according to the master plan to consolidate the Pleasantville and Briarcliff campuses into one, while the remodeling of buildings and new facilities for the sports teams progresses.
“Right now we are zeroing in on one company to design and build the new facilities,” Mark Brown, Director of Athletics at Pace said. “Nothing is final yet, we still need to better define the scope of our budget, but once we do it’s going to happen fast. We plan on initiating construction over the summer.”
Aside from the new facilities, the consolidation of two campuses into one is something that will surely benefit Pace Athletics.
“It’s a huge project, but once everyone is together I think it will be easier for everyone to really be on the same page,” Brown said. “It’s hard to ask someone on the Briarcliff campus to wait outside in the bitter cold at night to take the bus to come over here for a game, and then have to wait again to take the bus back to their dorm. But if they are just on the other side of the street, it’s a lot easier for them to come.”
While the athletic department has announced the hiring of the new women’s lacrosse coach, as well as the new head football coach, there is still one position waiting to be filled.
“We are very close to announcing who the new women’s field hockey coach will be,” Brown said. “We are in final negotiations currently. We had very good interest in the position, not as much as for the football position, but still some very good interest.”
That interest has shown to be a challenge in picking the best candidate, but with a decision waiting to be announced in the near future, it seems that that challenge has been overcome.
“We’ve had some very exciting candidates, but one in particular has really distanced themselves from the rest,” Brown said. “We hope to make an announcement hopefully by the end of the month.”
With the field hockey team expected to compete in the fall of 2015, the new coach will have about a year to recruit new players, starting in July.