Swimming at Iowa

[drlove]

While not as substantive of improvements, Beyer Pool is much better than it was 15 years ago. Not dark and dingy with a massive faded flag. New scoreboard and recordboard.

Much better? having been at Beyer in the last 5 months it felt amazingly similar to the 1990s. it has never been ”dark” IMO. The Fieldhouse at Iowa, old pool at Minnesota, or KUs pool were dark. Just my $.02

to The Shadows point, not much more can be done to a pool that has hosted the NCAA championships back in the day

 

[NorthCyd]

I state this with honesty and respect to JP (I feel he has been the best AD ever at ISU); history has shown he has limited interest (if any) in investing in Olympic sports outside of XC & TF. -> former gymnastics coach and wrestling coach as example.

Original CyTown plans had a dedicated Volleyball/Wrestling facility; I assume it could easily be used for gymnastics as well?

I think that facility is no longer in the master plan for CT; however, I would love to see the concept come to fruition!

What are you talking about? JP has made an effort to strengthen all sports more than any AD I can remember at ISU. I never even knew what the directors cup was until JP was our AD. Now we are perennially a top 50 school and in the top half of the conference.

 

[CloneFanInKC]

Funding and facilities. then through adding conference support of the sport. Easy choice for a recruit. Hell…. UNI might be on par with ISU swimming… its that bad.

Makes sense. It was an honest question cuz I had no idea. Thank you.

 

[carvers4math]

Despite laying an egg in basketball, our women’s sports come through again in the CyHawk.

 

[GoldCy]

The fact that you're cherry picking two instances from over a dozen years ago doesn't help your cause. The Kindler thing was about 6 months into his tenure, when ISU was making around $7M from TV/conference, not the $40M of today. There were also much higher priorities (football) at the time. Sanderson basically got a blank check at Penn State, that ISU couldn't match.

In the last 10 years, plus the next ~5:
Golf - new facility
Soccer - new facility; field conversion from turf to grass 2023
Softball - new facility
Outdoor track (which ISU didn't even have) - new facility
Indoor track - new surfaces periodically over time; video screen, scoreboard
Cross country - finish line and signage improvements
Tennis - new practice facility; moving again to new competition/practice facility soon
Volleyball - taking over tennis practice facility
Gymnastics - planned remodel/renovation of practice gym at Beyer
Wrestling - practice facility has had a couple of renovations; alleged plan of an addition to Lied in the future

Swimming/Diving is the only Olympic sport that hasn't had some major facility upgrades, because you can't really "upgrade" a pool without building a new one.

Beyer opened in 1964. It was good enough to hold NCAA championship meet. When lied was built a pool was planned on north side. A pool is primarily a student facility and should be paid for by general funds to a large extent. Items particular of use by AD as well as a small % could be covered by AD. That side of campus needs the facility for students. The old woman's pool is more outdated if it still exists.

 

[SCNCY]

Yeah I think we all would have loved to retain him but wasn't the rumor that PS doubled his salary?

I was at ISU when it happened. If I remember, he did get more money, but I think the big mover was PSU was building, or going to build a $10 million wrestling only facility. JP couldn’t match that investment for the program at a time as the AD budget was mid $30 million. I want to say this happened in 2007/2008. So a $10 million only facility for wrestling was a big deal at the time.

 

[drlove]

While not as substantive of improvements, Beyer Pool is much better than it was 15 years ago. Not dark and dingy with a massive faded flag. New scoreboard and recordboard.

having been at Beyer in the last 5 months, felt amazingly similar to the 1990s. it has never been ”dark” IMO. The Fieldhouse at Iowa, old pool at Minnesota, or KUs pool were dark.

Beyer opened in 1964. It was good enough to hold NCAA championship meet. When lied was built a pool was planned on north side. A pool is primarily a student facility and should be paid for by general funds to a large extent. Items particular of use by AD as well as a small % could be covered by AD. That side of campus needs the facility for students. The old woman's pool is more outdated if it still exists.

i believe the new pool in Iowa City was paid for as you described above.

 

[keepngoal]

having been at Beyer in the last 5 months, felt amazingly similar to the 1990s. it has never been ”dark” IMO. The Fieldhouse at Iowa, old pool at Minnesota, or KUs pool were dark.

i believe the new pool in Iowa City was paid for as you described above.

IC pool is run by their rec services, and aptly named Campus Recreation and Wellness Center (CRWC). AD rents it, however has priority of its pool use. Beautiful facility.

Cost of $20M, IIRC. And recently another $5M for air system replacement. Just 13 years old.

 

[CyNews]

I state this with honesty and respect to JP (I feel he has been the best AD ever at ISU); history has shown he has limited interest (if any) in investing in Olympic sports outside of XC & TF. -> former gymnastics coach and wrestling coach as example.

Original CyTown plans had a dedicated Volleyball/Wrestling facility; I assume it could easily be used for gymnastics as well?

I think that facility is no longer in the master plan for CT; however, I would love to see the concept come to fruition!

Remember when Barta cut swimming?

 

[Cycsk]

Much better? having been at Beyer in the last 5 months it felt amazingly similar to the 1990s. it has never been ”dark” IMO. The Fieldhouse at Iowa, old pool at Minnesota, or KUs pool were dark. Just my $.02

to The Shadows point, not much more can be done to a pool that has hosted the NCAA championships back in the day

Beyer was "dark" in a very different way than KU. KU is dark because of inadequate lighting. Beyer was lightened up greatly by the removal of the flag and making the walls white.

 

[drlove]

Beyer was "dark" in a very different way than KU. KU is dark because of inadequate lighting. Beyer was lightened up greatly by the removal of the flag and making the walls white.

Fair. I guess I always felt Beyer was pretty bright due to the great lighting.

 

[GoldCy]

Fair. I guess I always felt Beyer was pretty bright due to the great lighting.

Back in dark ages when NCAA meet was on TV, no additional lighting was required.

 

[Cycsk]

Back in dark ages when NCAA meet was on TV, no additional lighting was required.

"Back in the dark ages." Pun intended?