The city of Omaha selected HOK Sport, HDR, Inc. and DLR Group to design the new Omaha Baseball Stadium, the future home for the Men’s College World Series. HDR, Inc. will serve as lead architects and engineers.

HDR and HOK Sport began working with Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey’s office in November 2007, offering services that included studies for renovations of Rosenblatt Stadium, the current site of the CWS. The DLR Group and HOK Sport have collaborated to design nearly 200 ballparks nationwide.

The $140 million facility will include 24,000 seats, 28 luxury suites, a concourse that is open all the way around the stadium, five clubhouses, practice facilities and administrative offices. It is scheduled to open in April 2010.

Summitt donates to employer, alma mater

Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt donated $600,000 to be split between the women’s basketball programs at the University of Tennessee’s Knoxville and Martin campuses.  The donation includes a $100,000 endowed scholarship for a Lady Vols graduate assistant in honor of Summitt’s parents, Richard and Hazel Head.

Summitt has coached the Lady Vols for 34 seasons and played basketball and volleyball at Tennessee-Martin. Summitt joins men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl and football coach Phil Fulmer as coaches who have given back to Tennessee.

“I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to play basketball as a student-athlete at Tennessee-Martin and spend 35 years as a coach at Tennessee,” Summitt said. “I appreciate every opportunity both schools have given me and hope this gift will afford other young women the same opportunities.”

MLB star gives back to Stony Brook

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan, a 1997 graduate of Stony Brook, donated $500,000 to Seawolves athletics to help pay for a new baseball field. The school will name the field Joe Nathan Field.

Nathan was a two-time Academic All-American at Stony Brook and the first student-athlete at the school to have his jersey retired.

“My experiences as a part of the Stony Brook athletics family helped get me to where I am today,” said Nathan. “I feel extremely fortunate to be playing baseball as a professional athlete and feel strongly about supporting the growth of the Stony Brook baseball program. Coach (Matt) Senk has built an extremely successful program, one with which I'm very proud to be affiliated. I look forward to following and supporting our baseball program to even greater success in the years to come.”

Detroit unveils new logo

Detroit athletics revealed a new logo earlier this week, featuring the words “Detroit Titans” and sword and shield imagery. The new logo coincides with the addition of new varsity sports, new men’s and women’s basketball coaches and several new facilities. The institution will also host the 2009 Men’s Final Four.

The new insignia was designed by Starr Constand, a firm based in Detroit. The logo will be phased in over the 2008-09 academic year.