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The Rice Thresher
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by Mike Nalepa thresher editorial staff Rice's track and field teams will soon have a new neighbor. Construction is underway on the soccer field for the new women's varsity soccer team, which will play its inaugural season next fall. The new field will be located on the infield of the Rice track stadium, which is currently being retrofitted to accommodate the dimensions of the soccer field. Construction is broken up into two phases, and the total cost of the university-funded project is expected to be $1.1 million, Architecture and Engineering Manager John Posch said. Phase one of the construction includes replacing the old infield of the track, which was the football field before Rice Stadium was built, with a new grass field. "There are some track and field events that are located within the oval of the track. Because the soccer field is bigger than the old football field, we're moving those out to the outside of the track," Posch said. Athletics Director Bobby May said the horizontal jumps will be moved to an area outside of the field's west side. As part of the construction, part of a brick wall surrounding the track was removed to make the field events visible from the track grandstand. The first phase of construction should not conflict with the track season, Posch said. "I have a completion date of March 1st on my schedule, but I believe that we're going to have everything ready for the start of track season and practices," Posch said. Associate Athletics Director for Administration Steve Moniachi said he believes that no track teams will have to reschedule events or practices. The second phase of the construction will take place this summer. This phase includes installing the new lights for the field, installing locker room facilities and renovating the existing restrooms, Posch said. Recent rains threaten to slow construction crews down, Moniachi said. Construction crews need to place a plastic liner underneath the field. "They can't do that until the ground gets dry," he said. Construction crews are now working on new field event areas as well, Moniachi said. A second practice field for the soccer team will also be built between the track, Reckling Park and University Boulevard, May said. Installation of a new score-board is also a possibility, Posch said. Other renovations could include fixing the track surface, although the Athletics Department does not know how extensive the repairs need to be. "One thing [it] will depend on [is] just how much damage there is already, and the other will be how much more damage there is yet to do by the heavy machinery moving back and forth across it," Moniachi said. Rice women's varsity soccer coach Chris Huston, who was hired on May 23, is currently scouting talent and recruiting players. The team will open its first season against Army at home on Sept. 1, 2001.
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