Dedication of Mel Nicks Sports Complex Set for April 7

From Sports Information Director, April 2, 2015 |
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College will formally dedicate the remodeled Mel Nicks Sports Complex at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 on the complex grounds. In case of inclement weather, the dedication will be held at the Fort Howard Theater in the Bemis International Center on campus.

The complex was completely remodeled in the fall of 2014 and began use for games this spring. The baseball field is Larry Van Alstine Field, while the softball field is Miron Construction Field.

In the summer of 2014, St. Norbert College, with the help of several generous donors, commissioned a $2 million renovation of Mel Nicks Sports Complex. During this remodel, Miron Construction and other professionals rebuilt the two diamonds, improved the dugouts, and installed a state-of-the-art synthetic infield and a better drainage system in the outfield to combat wet spring weather. The renovated complex also included a new concession stand and restrooms below the press boxes.

Mel Nicks (1914-1990), a faculty member at St. Norbert College for 26 years, was a coach, athletics administrator, teacher and humanitarian. In the 1960s, he had the idea that the college should build a baseball diamond, softball diamond and practice football fields, now known as the Mel Nicks Sports Complex, or simply "Mel Nicks."

The college will celebrate the completion of a $2 million renovation of the complex, its baseball field named in honor of Larry Van Alstine '56, and its softball diamond named in recognition of Miron Construction.

Larry Van Alstine was St. Norbert College director of athletics from 1989 until his retirement in 1998, and previously was an assistant coach for football, basketball and baseball. Carl Vogel '79 credits Larry with bringing him and many others to the college to share Larry's love of baseball. Van Alstine, also the head football coach from 1979 to 1982, was inducted into St. Norbert College's Athletic Hall of Fame in October 1999.

Led by its owner, Dave Voss, Miron Construction Co., Inc. has helped shape the St. Norbert campus for the last ten years, as construction manager and general contractor for the Mulva Library, Todd Wehr Hall, Michels Commons, the Gehl-Mulva Science Center and Mel Nicks Sports Complex. Dave and his wife, Jane, are generous residents of northeast Wisconsin and staunch supporters of local Catholic education.