Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 30, 1993 TAG: 9306300254
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The NCAA Women's Softball Committee has recommended Salem's Moyer Sports Complex as the site for the 1994 Division III championship tournament, scheduled for May 19-22. The NCAA Executive Committee will make a decision on the recommendation in early August. The executive committee usually rubber-stamps decisions by its committees.
"Salem has been recommended, and I don't see any serious problems with Salem's bid," said Deborah Nelson, an NCAA assistant director of championships and the liaison to Division III women's softball.
Nelson said Salem bid for the Division II and Division III tournaments and was awarded the Division III championships with the Old Dominion Athletic Conference - based in Salem - as the sponsor. Two other formal bids were received, but Nelson would not reveal the competition for Salem, "which was fairly comparable," she said.
The softball committee has not recommended a site for the Division II tournament, but Nelson said it will not be Salem because the city doesn't have a Division II sponsor.
Salem Civic Center manager Carey Harveycutter, who put together Salem's softball proposal, said the city's bid was an agreement to purchase $2,000 worth of tickets to the 14th annual tournament, "with the idea that we'd give them to local high school girls' softball teams."
The NCAA Division III softball tournament is a six-team, double-elimination event. Nelson said each school is permitted a 23-member traveling party. Central (Iowa) beat Trenton State in this year's final in Decatur, Ill. The other regional champions were Illinois Benedictine, Rowan (N.J.), Allegheny (Pa.) and LaVerne (Calif.).
"The teams from the Northeast have a pretty good following," Nelson said. "I would think some of those fans would travel to a location as close as Salem."
The city has a three-year contract as host of the Stagg Bowl, the Division III football championship game. It was that deal that put the city in the running for another NCAA event.
Wayne Burrow, another assistant director of championships for the NCAA, visited Salem in May to inspect and approve Salem Stadium, site of the Stagg Bowl, scheduled for Dec. 11. During the trip, Burrow asked Harveycutter for a tour of other sports facilities.
"When we got to that softball complex, I told Carey I thought it was amazing, very impressive" /urrow said. "I came back [to the NCAA's offices in Overland Park, Kan.] and spread the word here that Salem not only had embraced the idea of hosting championship events, but that it also had this wonderful softball complex."
Harveycutter sent an inquiry about bid specifications to Nelson and then prepared a bid that highlighted not only the four-field Moyer complex and its two years as a site for major tournaments, but also the quality of local high school softball programs. The ODAC's presence was an aid, although the league never has had a team in the tournament and only began playing softball as a league sport in 1990.
The only ODAC members to play varsity softball this spring were Bridgewater, Eastern Mennonite, Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan.
"We're very pleased the NCAA would consider us again for a national championship event," said Harveycutter, who also is serving as the Stagg Bowl director. "The Moyer complex once again has been recognized as an excellent facility, and the city's support for bringing in another sports event is strong."
Harveycutter lauded Charlie Hammersley, Salem's parks and recreation director, and the recreation staff for answering the NCAA committee's questions about the adaptability of the Moyer complex to NCAA game requirements.
"Instead of looking at it as a `can't-do' situation, we said, `We'll do it,' " Harveycutter said. "We'll be waiting for the executive committee's decision."
by CNB