Podcast: Softball head coach Roger Kincaid discusses last season and Turner Field proposal.
Several Georgia State teams are excited about the possibility of getting a new stadium off the University’s proposal for Turner Field. Yet, one team who was left off the initial proposal is watching closely to see if they could eventually be included.
Georgia State University unveiled its proposal for Turner Field to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution last May. The plans included new stadiums for the football, baseball and soccer teams, in addition to a mix-used development. The plan, announced in collaboration with Carter Real Estate, was roughly estimated to cost $300 million.
Georgia State and Carter’s plans on how to develop Turner Field. They include a new baseball stadium, as well as a multi-use stadium for football and soccer.
Noticeably, Georgia State’s softball team was not included in the Turner Field proposal.
Softball head coach Roger Kincaid said that he has been following the developments regarding Turner Field closely, and he hopes that softball will be included in a final proposal from the University.
“I think the plans right now are very preliminary, and I think at some point we will be included in those plans,” Kincaid said.
The purpose of the Turner Field proposal is to find a location closer to campus to move several of Georgia State’s athletic teams who currently play at Panthersville, which is roughly 10 miles away from campus. The Turner Field proposal achieves getting all of the teams, except softball, out of Panthersville.
Kincaid, while hoping that softball is successful in moving to Downtown, lauded the Panthersville facility despite outside complaints that the stadium is too far.
“Honestly, we have a great facility in Panthersville,” Kincaid said. “We have the indoor facility where we train, as well as the locker rooms. But, we’re willing to go along with the plans and see what transpires.”
In an interview with The Signal last May, Georgia State President Dr. Mark Becker said there was not enough land at the Turner Field site to ad a softball stadium.
“Softball is a smaller footprint then baseball or soccer, but we’re working on that too,” Becker said.
Softball head coach Roger Kincaid said he trusts University President Dr. Mark Becker to make the right decisions to put the team in a position to succeed.
Kincaid maintained confidence that the University will not leave out softball.
“I have all the confidence in the world in Dr. Becker and our administration here that they’ll make the right decision that will put us in the best position to succeed,” Kincaid said.
Along with keeping a close eye on the Turner Field developments, Kincaid also has his own team on the brain.
After finishing third in the Sun Belt with a record of 30-26 and 12-9 in the conference, the Panthers were unceremoniously eliminated early from the Sun Belt tournament with a 2-1 extra inning loss to No. 6 Louisiana-Monroe in the first round.
Kincaid said it was a tough way to end the season, but that he was proud of the team for finishing third in the conference in its first year. Since then, he said that the first-round exit has already worn off, and he is looking forward to next season.
“Everything’s been great,” said Kincaid. “Recruiting is going well. We definitely feel good about where we’re at. We’re excited about the kids coming back in August and going back to work.”
The Panthers’ first year in the Sun Belt conference was Kincaid’s fourth year at the helm for Georgia State softball.
At Georgia State, he has amassed a record of 135-83. When Georgia State first entered conference play in the Sun Belt last season, Kincaid and the team had to contend with the likes of daunting conference powers in South Alabama and the 11-time Sun Belt champions, Louisiana Lafayette.
“Being in the first year in the Sun Belt, I think it was a good challenge for us,” said Kincaid. “To finish behind South Alabama, which made the NCAA Tournament, and Louisiana-Lafayette, which advanced to the Women’s College World Series, is quite an accomplishment for us in our first year.”
Kincaid expects that sense the team is now experienced against its Sun Belt rivals, his players will be better prepared next season.
“I think going into our second year, we’ll be a lot more prepared for [Louisiana-Lafayette]. We’ll better understand the preparation it takes to compete at that level, and also the intensity to play with every game.”
