July 17, 2006

By Joe Glover, IU Southeast Sports Information

Indiana University Southeast has always been active in its mission to give its students every opportunity to enhance their educational experience. With this goal in mind IU Southeast has decided to expand its already diverse athletic offerings by welcoming softball as the seventh intercollegiate sport to begin in spring 2007.
Reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly positive as local high school players now have another reason to attend IU Southeast. Softball players can now take advantage of the University's excellent academic programs, while having the opportunity to excel on the field with athletics.

The team will be the first fast-pitch softball team in the University's history, but it is preceded by a varsity slow-pitch team that played one season for IUS in the 1970s. The new program will compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a Region XII contender and will be a member of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC).

When the Grenadiers take the field for the first time in early spring of 2007 they will be playing at a state-of-the-art softball facility that rivals most around the Midwest. The complex is located across from the existing baseball field just off Hausfeldt Lane in New Albany on the campus of Indiana University Southeast. Funding for the complex was made possible by donations from Koetter Construction and the Clark/Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau. The completed facility includes two spacious dugouts with built-in storage rooms, a new high-tech scoreboard, irrigation system, top-notch press box facility for media members, men's and women's restrooms and a stunning concession area. 

The facility will not only serve as host to the Grenadier softball program, but it will also provide a home to traveling tournaments around the Midwest during the summer. The field will provide an economic impact in Southern Indiana and will help draw additional tourism to Clark and Floyd Counties during the summer months.

IU Southeast Athletic Director Pat Mrozowski believes that the facility is a tremendous asset to the athletic program and the community, "The softball complex is truly outstanding. I think that we have the best facility in the conference (KIAC). We have received many complements from the community which brings a great deal pride to the University."

The excitement surrounding the new facility will not be just temporary as continuous upgrades are considered. The softball complex will be around for many years and will allow IU Southeast to be the local home for softball in Southern Indiana. The University has long term goals in place to help ensure that the facility is always improving. Potential additions include lights and a practice field.

The new program also brings much excitement with the hiring of Head Coach Todd Buckingham. Bluefield State College (W.Va.) has been home to Buckingham for the past five years. During his time coaching at Bluefield State he transformed the softball team into a contender at the NCAA Division II level. He led the Lady Blues to their first winning record in school history during the 2005 season. His efforts were not overlooked as he was named West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) Softball Coach of the Year.

Coach Buckingham is looking forward to building the softball program into a powerhouse of talent not only in the conference, but nationally as well. "I am so excited! Everyday I wake up and think about this job here at IU Southeast. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to coach this team," Buckingham said. "We have set our goals very high, and we will work hard to make sure that we achieve them. We want Grenadier softball to become synonymous with achievement on and off the field."

The team has currently received commitments from 18 players, eight of which are from the local Southern Indiana area. Commitments also include players from Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, and from as far east as West Virginia. The team members have already been on campus for team meetings and workouts with preparations for their inaugural season well underway.

Coach Buckingham is currently planning team unity activities and leadership workshops for team members to participate in during the off season before practice begins later this year. He hopes that the team will become more like family rather than just teammates before the season starts. "I am asking 18 to 25 complete strangers to mold together as a family. If you are going to be successful in any sport you have to have that family feel and be able to trust in one another," Buckingham said. "Our summer activities will help us become one unit and prepare us for tough competition throughout the season."

The Grenadier softball team will join the six other sports already competing on behalf of the University. It will serve as another member in representing all that IU Southeast has to offer to students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni. With the addition of softball, the University has yet again accomplished its goal of enhancing the educational environment of all students with recreational opportunities. A softball team with a new, top of the line facility, a new coach and new players will be a great fit not only for Indiana University Southeast but also for the surrounding communities that make up beautiful Southern Indiana.