Field will not be named

Corrected October 10, 2000 01:00:00 AM\nAn informal reception after the men's soccer game Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium acknowledged soccer alumni and their private donations to the stadium's renovations, which cost more than $2.5 million.\nThe athletic department had originally planned to dedicate the newly renovated soccer field to 28-year coach Jerry Yeagley, but a University committee policy rejected that idea.\nThe athletic department proposed naming the soccer field at Bill Armstrong Stadium after Yeagley, but the University's Naming Committee rejected the proposal because Yeagley is still an IU employee. The rejection is based on a University policy created by late University Chancellor Herman B Wells, said committee chairman Terry Clapacs, also IU's vice president for administration.\nA structure cannot be dedicated to any current IU employee, according to the committee's principles.\n"We (the athletic department) submitted a request to them, it was turned down, and they were sympathetic," athletics director Clarence Doninger said.\nClapacs said the decision, made at the committee's September meeting, was unanimous, although the members recognized Yeagley's coaching accomplishments. Yeagley has a 487-86-37 record (.798 winning percentage) in 28 years at IU. He is one of only six Division I coaches to win more than 300 career games.\nThe policy to not name a part of the campus after a current IU employee has been long-standing, Clapacs said. The athletic department can resubmit the proposal after Yeagley is no longer an IU employee. Doninger said the athletic department would honor resubmitting the proposal.\n"Coach Yeagley has a record that's so outstanding that at the right time the committee would take positive action," Clapacs said.\nHe said the soccer field proposal mirrors the proposed renaming the Main Library, which has been reserved to be dedicated to Wells. The library will be renamed March 18, 2004, five years after Wells' death, according to the policy.\nUnlike the Main Library, the soccer field will not be reserved to be named after Yeagley, Clapacs said, but the committee will not apply the five-year rule because the field is "a space on campus," rather than a building.\n"I guess they just have to wait, but he should be (given the honor)," said Aleksey Korol, who played soccer for IU from 1996 to 1999. "That's his field. He built this program. This is his program. He deserves every bit of that."\nThe field is not named after a person, though the stadium is named for Bill Armstrong, who donated to, and was a longtime fan, of the soccer program. Armstrong passed away in 1998.\n"I support (the decision)," Yeagley said Friday. "I mean, I'm honored that they're considering naming the field after me, but I support the University. It's something Herman Wells instilled. I have no problem with the policy."\nYeagley said the dedication of the field will be more important to him in the future. His focus now is guiding his Hoosiers (9-3) to victory. \nThe stadium was built in 1981 and was financed by private contributions. The first phase of the stadium's renovations, which were completed before the 2000 soccer season, included a new grass playing field, a 5,000-seat grandstand, a 50-seat press box, a customer services building with concessions and restrooms, new stadium lighting and a new scoreboard.\nA second phase will include the removal of the north stands, the old two-level press box, the elevator and two center light towers. Eight rows will remain before a north grandstand is added, according to athletic department press releases. Private contributions will pay for the renovations.\nThe news of the turned-down proposal came in enough time to tell alumni who otherwise would have traveled to Sunday's events, which included an alumni game and the varsity team's 7-0 win against Michigan, Yeagley said.\n"That field wouldn't be there without them, so when that happens," Yeagley said, "I want as many of them to be there as possible"