May 9, 2006

The grand opening of the Richard E. Lindner Athletics Center signifies the fruition of the Varsity Village project. While Varsity Village will have a strong impact on everyone in the university community, the head coaches will see that impact on a daily basis and for years to come. UCBearcats.com spoke with each of UC's 13 head coaches and asked 'What does Varsity Village mean to your program?'

Baseball Coach Brian Cleary

Varsity Village has dramatically changed the face of baseball at UC -- there is not one part of our program that has not been touched by the Village.  Most obviously, the Village and specifically the baseball stadium, has enhanced our ability to recruit elite players.  More than that, our players now have facilities in which they can develop and display their baseball skills and our fans and students have a place where they can come together in support of our team.  That our athletes have first class facilities to support their athletic and academic development all right in the center of our campus is of tremendous benefit.  Like all of us who work in college athletics, I have seen athletic facilities around the nation.  I have not seen any finer facilities than what we now have on our campus nor I have I seen a nicer setting.

Golf Coach Janet Carl

The opening of Varsity Village brings with it a new found spirit for our golf team.  Varsity Village is place where our golfers can go and have all their needs met in one building.  Our golfers look forward to being able to have a locker for use after conditioning, for having the right type of strength equipment for their sport and the fact that while they travel to and from practice facilities, they have a place to call "home" here on the campus. Varsity Village brings with it the opportunity to have one of the best athletics facilities in the country to go along with the opportunity to compete in the best conference with the best athletes in the country.

Men's Basketball Coach Mick Cronin

One of the first things that a potential basketball recruit, or any potential student-athlete, will see with these new facilities is the university's commitment to college athletics, and especially, the student-athletes.  The Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village has it all for them, and all centrally located.  Our basketball players will be able to practice, condition, have their athletic training needs met, and take care of their academic responsibilities in the new academic center, without walking from one building to another.  The new practice gym will make it easier to schedule practices without impacting on academic schedules, or having practices affected by other sports events.  One of the greatest assets is that prospective recruits, upon entering the new athletics center, will obtain an immediate understanding of the rich history and tradition of our athletics program, and later as student-athletes at UC, will have that understanding reinforced each day.

Men's Soccer Coach Hylton Dayes

Varsity Village is like a dream come true! It's provides us with first class facilities in an unbelievably convenient setting. It's great to have all the athletics offices and support services in a centralized location; it's like a one stop for Bearcat Athletics. Specifically for soccer, Gettler Stadium has given us a home that is second to none. The feedback from everyone that has visited Gettler Stadium has been overwhelmingly positive. We can now showcase our facilities to recruits and be confident that they are amongst the best in not only the Big East but the country! This was a much needed piece of the puzzle, which will no doubt lead to Big East Championships and more for all of our programs!

Men's Track & Field Coach Bill Schnier

Varsity Village provides a setting for athletics which is on par with academics, thereby fulfilling the Greek ideal of body, mind and spirit.  A tour of our campus reveals separate villages devoted to specialties which together make us one outstanding university.  Varsity Village, CCM Village, Main Street, the Engineering quadrangle and Sigma Sigma Commons give UC a character unlike any other in America:  small towns within a large city.  The athletic venues of Varsity Village speak loudly about our commitment to excellence, challenging each team to live up to those expectations.  We are in a new age of beauty and achievement with Varsity Village providing the backdrop for everything which has been good all along.

Swimming & Diving Coach Monty Hopkins

Varsity Village represents a quantum leap in the athletics atmosphere at the University of Cincinnati. Just as the opening of Armory Fieldhouse and Laurence Hall ushered in a great era for Bearcat athletics in the late 50's and early 60's, Varsity Village promises to be the foundation for Bearcat greatness in the new era of Big East affiliation.

Volleyball Coach Reed Sunahara

Varsity Village will definitely help with the recruiting of high school athletes from Cincinnati and the rest of the country.  The facilities that our athletes will have access to will be topnotch and competitive with any volleyball program in the country.  Our own practice facility will be the key for the success of this program because it will allow us to train and practice without any distractions.  Varsity Village will help us achieve our goals of winning more championships.