LSU may finally be getting what every other school in the Southeastern Conference already has — an indoor tennis facility.
On Monday, LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced the Athletic Department is working with the Tiger Athletic Foundation to bring a new tennis facility to the school’s program.
“It’s gone through the first step of approval and is by no means a done deal,” said LSU men’s tennis coach Jeff Brown. “But if it does get to the point where it’s completed, from recruiting to actual practice and matches, it would be a huge step for the program.”
LSU is currently the only school in the SEC lacking indoor courts, and recruits have noticed.
“When we recruit players, they want to see the same thing at every school, and we keep getting [asked] why we don’t have [indoor courts] when all of our competitors do,” said LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “It puts us in the ball game to be competitive in getting top recruits.”
In contrast with the central location of W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium, which was built in 1976, the new facility will be located on LSU’s south campus off GSRI Avenue.
“I think a lot of our fans from the [Baton Rouge] community would have easier access … with some of the things you have to deal with during school hours, such as parking,” Brown said. “I’m sure that the students that come to the matches will drive a little bit and enjoy the whole facility.”
Plans for the new facility include six outdoor stadium courts, 12 auxiliary courts and six indoor courts. Brown said the new courts might also serve as a club for students to join in the future.
The indoor courts will serve as an escape from the weather, which has caused the postponement of three matches so far this season.
“We have a nice [facility] now, but an even better one with indoors would be great for us to have continuity in our matches,” Brown said. “If it rains, it’s not an issue and we can just play indoors.”
In place of Robinson Stadium, Alleva said he would like to see a practice facility built for the University’s gymnastics program, a move that would give the Carl Maddox Field House free space to add locker rooms for the track and field programs.
 
____
Contact Ian Fontenot at [email protected]