The Ferrum College softball team will soon notice some changes to their facility after the College successfully completed its "Batting a 1.000" campaign for a new softball complex, named after Hall of Fame softball coach Vickie Van Kleeck.
The College raised over $330,000 from 119 donors for the new complex, far exceeding its original goal of $100,000 by June 30, 2022.
The Vickie Van Kleeck Softball Complex will include new club-level seating, construction of a press box, locker rooms, and other amenities to improve the gameday experience for the players and fans.
"It was a pleasure to work with so many friends and alumni on this campaign. The success of this fundraising effort will allow Ferrum College to build the best softball stadium in the ODAC and one of the best in all of Division III," stated Director of Development, Bart Smith. "I'm excited for our softball program and all of the athletes now and in the future that will have a chance to play in this great stadium."
Van Kleeck was Ferrum's softball coach for 24 seasons before retiring in 2015. During her tenure at Ferrum, Van Kleeck won 531 games, including three regular season USA South Athletic Conference championships (1994, 1995, 2013). She led Ferrum to USA South Softball Tournament titles in 2002, 2005 and 2012, earning NCAA Division III playoffs appearances all three years. She coached 140 Academic All-Conference Players, 23 All-State players, and received the 2013 USA South Coach of the Year Award. She was inducted into Ferrum College's Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
"I couldn't be more thankful for the many donors who helped make our Batting a 1.000 campaign a success. In doing so, this allows us to move forward with the Vickie Van Kleeck Softball Complex," stated Director of Athletics John Sutyak. "This was a true team effort to get us to our goal, which included our alumni, parents, staff, faculty, friends and a number of our current Ferrum softball student-athletes contributing to the campaign. The future is bright for Ferrum College softball."
Ferrum College President David Johns spoke about what this new facility represents, stating "Athletics has always been an important part of the Ferrum College experience, and our softball program has enjoyed tremendous success over the years, on and off the field. We are delighted to honor Coach VVK and our softball players, past and present, with this new facility."
With the successful completion of the campaign, the College hopes to unveil the Vickie Van Kleeck Softball Complex in 2023.
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