CAL STATE FULLERTON NOTEBOOK : Gym Expansion’s Timetable Depends on the Ballot Box

The fate of a $7.8-million project to expand Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Gym doesn’t hinge entirely on the outcome of Proposition 143 on today’s ballot.

But if the Higher Education Facilities Bond Act doesn’t pass, it could set the project back a number of years.

The 45,000-square-foot, two-story expansion to the south side of the gym has already been approved by the California State University Chancellor’s office.

The expansion would include a full-size basketball court, a state-of-the-art gymnastics facility and new offices and classrooms. It would increase the capacity of the gym for athletic events from 4,000 to 5,400.

With the passing of Prop. 143, which calls for a $450-million bond issue for the construction or improvement of facilities of California’s public higher education institutions, construction on the Titan Gym project would begin in August, 1992, with a target completion date of December, 1993.

If the proposition doesn’t pass, however, the project likely would be delayed.

“For how long remains to be seen,” Fullerton Athletic Director Ed Carroll said.

Jay Bond, the school’s associate vice president for facility planning and construction, said Prop. 143 funds would only be used to pay for architects’ plans for the project. Funding for the bulk of the project would come out of the school’s 1992-93 budget.

But the $223,000 in Prop. 143 funds already earmarked for architectural drawings would not be available if the bond act isn’t passed.

“We’d then have to rely on state funds,” Bond said. “If Prop. 143 doesn’t pass, all bets are off as far as a construction date.”

Once completed, Carroll believes the project “will have a fantastic impact.” With an additional basketball court, the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the volleyball team wouldn’t be jockeying for practice time, as they do now.

The gymnastic teams would have a permanent training home and would not have to move their equipment to make room for balcony seats every time there was a basketball game. And they’d have new, modern equipment.

“It would change my life,” said Lynn Rogers, women’s gymnastics coach.

The Titan wrestling team, which finished 24th at last season’s NCAA tournament, is gearing up for what Coach Dan Lewis calls “the most demanding schedule” the school has ever faced.

Two-time defending national champion Oklahoma State, Big Eight power Oklahoma, and Big Ten powers Northwestern and Minnesota will visit Titan Gym in December.

Fullerton opens the season Nov. 17 at Pacific-10 Conference rival Arizona State, the NCAA runner-up last season, and the Titans also will compete in the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational Nov. 30 through Dec. 1.

“I think the schedule gives our program a lot more credibility and should help our recruiting,” said Lewis, in his ninth year as Fullerton coach. “Facing this kind of competition will help our young wrestlers develop.”

The Titans might not be able to challenge Oklahoma State Dec. 13, but Lewis believes they can compete with everyone else on their schedule. Fullerton returns starters at all but two weight classes and has an outstanding heavyweight in David Jones.

Jones, a senior, placed fourth in the 1990 nationals and is ranked third in the preseason by Amateur Wrestling News. He had a 26-5-2 record last season.

Lewis lost two potential starters when Dan Henderson, who would have been a sophomore, and Heath Sims, who would have been a freshman, decided to concentrate on Greco-Roman wrestling and pursue Olympic team berths.

Henderson and Sims, a two-time high school state champion from Irvine’s Woodbridge High, are presently training in Europe.

But other top returnees are junior Lyndon Campbell at 134 pounds, sophomore Jeff Maes at 126 and sophomore Mike Grubbs at 118. Campbell and Maes qualified for the nationals last season.

It’s been 27 years since the running of the elephants at Fullerton, but Dumbo Downs returns to campus this week as part of the festivities surrounding Saturday’s homecoming football game against Utah State.

The race, featuring three elephants, will be held Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. on the lawn west of the Performing Arts building.

One Fullerton graduate who hopes to attend is Don Andersen, executive director of the Orange County Sports Assn., who helped organize the first Dumbo Downs in 1962.

Andersen and some fraternity buddies figured an elephant race would be a good publicity stunt for the fledgling school.

There were about 18 elephants entered, most of them sponsored by Southern California schools, but several students came from as far as Harvard to participate.

Fullerton police estimated the crowd at 10,000. Most local newspapers and television stations covered the event, and Sports Illustrated devoted two full pages to the races in an ensuing issue.

“What was so neat the first year was the spontaneity of the thing,” Andersen said. “It was a fun deal.”

It got ugly the next year, though. In 1963, an elephant ran into the crowd, causing some minor injuries. Fearing possible litigation, the school discontinued the races.

Titan Notes

The Fullerton soccer team ended the season on a high note, upsetting Big West Conference champion Fresno State, 3-1, Friday and defeating San Jose State, 1-0, Sunday to finish with an 8-8-3 record. Senior forward Steve George scored twice against Fresno State and was named the conference’s player of the week. George was the only Titan selected all-conference first team. Senior goalie Jay Nettekoven, junior forward Raul Haro and freshman defender Ken Hesse were second-team selections.

You know things are rough when your own conference makes fun of you. In last week’s Big West football release, a note on Fullerton’s losing streak, which now stands at nine games, started with “The Wreck of Titan Tech.” . . . Defensive end J.C. Farrow, who suffered a massive contusion of the bicep, forearm and elbow against Hawaii three weeks ago, will not return this season, Coach Gene Murphy said Monday. Quarterback Paul Schulte, who sat out the second half of Saturday’s 44-6 loss to San Jose State because of bruised ribs and a bruised kidney, is expected to play Saturday against Utah State.

The Fullerton men’s and women’s cross-country teams will compete in Saturday’s NCAA District 8 Championships, scheduled for 10 a.m. at Fresno’s Woodward Park. . . . The Titan volleyball team travels to Hawaii this week to play Chaminade (Wednesday) and Hawaii (Saturday and Sunday). Saturday’s match will be televised by Prime Ticket on a tape-delayed basis, beginning at 11:30 p.m.