From The Desk of Your AD

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Hello Razorbacks!

I hope you had an enjoyable summer and found a little time to relax with family and friends, in one of the many beautiful areas of our state.

Football game week is here….. Finally! On Saturday at 3 p.m., Coach Chad Morris will lead the Razorback football team onto Frank Broyles Field at a renovated Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorback Nation is ready for some football and I’m excited to experience my first Razorback football game as your Director of Athletics.

I know many of you have already made plans to join us. However, if you have not, there is still time to be a part of this historic day in our program’s history. You can click here to learn more about how to get tickets.

Every Experience Matters, Be AR Guest

In football, it is always beneficial to develop a game plan. From self-scanners to expedite your entry process, to new gate and section numbers, there are things you should include in your game plan for this weekend. Here are five ways you can make the most of your gameday experience in the new Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Before kickoff, I invite you to take some time to look around the new Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Stadium gates open at 1 p.m., so arrive early and take a walk on the Level 1 360 degree concourse to view the incredible amenities at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. There have been numerous renovations and upgrades made to all areas of the stadium to enhance the gameday experience for all fans.

However, the best way we can make your gameday experience the best it can be is by providing that special human touch to make you feel welcome as a guest in our venue. Over the past weeks and months, members of our athletic department and gameday staffs have been working to find ways to better serve you – “AR” guests. When it comes to gameday, every experience matters! We want your trip to any Razorback event to be an enjoyable and memorable one!

Join us for ONE Hog Call

Calling the Hogs is one of the most unique and passionate traditions in all of college sports. It is not only our signature cheer, but a rallying cry for our state and the Razorback Nation. As we launch our “One Razorback” initiative to further unite Razorback fans throughout Arkansas and globally, there is no more fitting way than by joining together in one of our greatest traditions.

This Friday, August 31 at 1 p.m. CST, we are inviting Arkansas Razorback fans around the globe to stand up as ONE fan base and Call the Hogs for the BIGGEST Hog Call – EVER. We are asking Razorbacks, no matter where they are, to stop what they are doing at 1 p.m. and Call the Hogs! Be sure to post photos or video of your Hog Call on social media with the hashtag #ONEHogCall. The best entries will be featured online and on the videoboard at Saturday’s game.

You are invited to join me, and other Razorbacks at the Fayetteville Town Center Plaza at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 31. Pre-call activities including free food, prize pack drawings plus appearances by the Razorback Spirit Squads and the Best in Sight and Sound Band. At 1 p.m., we will join together in ONE Hog Call.

University of Arkansas students, faculty and staff are invited to gather at the Greek Theatre, for an on-campus ONE Hog Call event. Festivities will begin at 12:30 p.m. with free food, music by DJ Derrick and appearances by the Razorback Spirit Squads and the Best in Sight and Sound Band. At 1 p.m., Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz will lead those in attendance in ONE Hog Call.

Arkansas head men’s basketball coach Mike Anderson, women’s head basketball coach Mike Neighbors and baseball head coach Dave Van Horn will all be on hand to help lead the cheers in Little Rock. Activities will be held on the field at War Memorial Stadium beginning at 12:30 p.m. the same day. Attendees can enjoy free food, giveaways, Razorback trivia and appearances by former Razorback student-athletes, Tusk and others. Former Razorback and local radio host David Bazzel will emcee the event. To culminate the celebration, fans will gather at the very spot where the Miracle on Markham occurred in 2002 to Call the Hogs as ONE. For more information on the ONE Hog Call initiative, including the ONE Hog Call public events click here.

Expanding Our Reach Within the State

On Wednesday, we officially released our 2019 Razorback Baseball schedule. It has only been a few months since the OmaHogs made their magical run in the College World Series, leaving all of us with memories for a lifetime. But the time for reminiscing is now over and Coach Dave Van Horn and his squad are preparing for what promises to be another exciting season.

Among the notable programs headed for Fayetteville this year, are College World Series participant Mississippi State and conference rivals LSU and Ole Miss. While those opponents are no strangers to Baum Stadium, two new programs will be making their debut there in 2019.

For the first time, the Little Rock Trojans and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions, will be making their way to Baum Stadium. It is the first in a series of future scheduling opportunities with schools in the University of Arkansas System.

As the flagship institution within our state, this is an opportunity for us to enhance interest in our non-conference schedules while supporting other schools within the University of Arkansas system. We have initiated with baseball this year and are exploring opportunities for future years in other sports. I appreciate Chancellor Steinmetz and his support to move forward with this engagement of our sister institutions. While I know that this announcement will generate additional speculation, there are no plans to expand in-state scheduling beyond those schools affiliated with the University of Arkansas System.

Building for Future Success

With the $160 million Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium renovation and north end zone addition completed, it is time for us to turn our focus to three other important projects to help equip our student-athletes with what they need to help compete and win SEC and NCAA Championships in three programs that are among the most successful we have on campus. Earlier this week, the University of Arkansas submitted proposals to begin the process of selecting project teams for the expansion and renovation of three existing facilities to help serve Razorback student-athletes competing in baseball and men’s and women’s track and field.

While Baum Stadium is unrivaled in beauty and the gameday atmosphere created by the passionate support of the Razorback Nation, many of the team areas utilized by our student-athletes and coaches every day, have not substantially changed since the stadium was built in 1996. A new approximately 40,000+ square foot baseball clubhouse facility, to be built beyond the right field wall on the southwest corner of Baum Stadium, will address those deficiencies providing our student-athletes with an improved and expanded locker room, team room, weight room, training room, meeting rooms, nutrition space, player and pitching development spaces and in-venue batting cages. Initial plans for the facility are to also offer fans the opportunity to enjoy their gameday at Baum Stadium from a new and unique Loge Box experience overlooking the right field bullpen.

Adjacent to Baum Stadium, the Randal Tyson Track Center requires enhancements to help maintain its place among the best indoor track facilities in the nation. A feasibility study determined that both the fan and student-athlete experiences would benefit greatly from a reconfigured seating, enhanced circulation throughout the building, new concessions and restrooms, satellite locker rooms and training rooms facilities.

Just up Razorback Road at John McDonnell Field, additional opportunities exist to support our national championship winning men’s and women’s track and field programs. A recent study identified the most immediate needs of the facility were improved and expanded team locker rooms, expanded training room, weight room, team room and an equipment storage space. A new approximately 20,000 square foot Track Operations Center will combine many of the program’s day-to-day operations to create an efficient space to serve our track and field programs, and their 100+ student-athletes.

As with other athletics projects, these facilities will be funded entirely by athletic revenues, gifts, and bond proceeds from a future bond issue. No university funds, including any student fees, will be required to complete these projects. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and months for more on how you can support these facility initiatives.

A Final Thought

If you are one of our loyal Razorback Foundation members, be sure to check your mailbox this week for our 2017-18 Arkansas Athletics Annual Report. It was a year full of significant accomplishments, including a record-breaking GPA, 131 graduates, a 16th-place finish in the Directors’ Cup, 14 teams in NCAA competition, including two NCAA runner-up finishes, and more than 5,000 hours of service to our community. If have not received or seen a copy of the annual report, you can access a digital copy here.

Thank you for the role that you continue to play in the academic, athletic and personal success of each Razorback student-athletes. Your support allows us to carry on and fulfill our mission to Build Razorbacks and Champions for Life!

Go Hogs!

Hunter