UIW

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Some 17 months later, Santiago’s Cardinal s are only weeks away from joininvg other collegiate teams around the countryy who are preparing for the2009 season. And he, as well as otherd UIW officials, are convinced that this is a landmarkj moment in time for the universityy and for the city to chase after opportunitiesd thattranscend sports. College football is big busineswin Texas. But it’s been roughlu three decades since San Antonio last suitedx up a collegiate scholarshipfootball team.
Santiago has recruitee a signing class for the privateCatholic university’ s inaugural football roster that is roughly 40 The total number of players who continue to work out at presx time, according to UIW Sports Information Director Waynre Witt, numbers closer to 70. UIW President Lou Agnese’w vision for the institution has long been to try and fill the footbal l void inSan Antonio. “This has been a dreajm of mine for along time,” says Agnese abouft the addition of a scholarship football program at UIW. In Apri l of last year, Agnese announced that UIW was indeedx launching football at the DivisionII level. A few weeks later, he hired Santiagi to head that program.
Santiago says the university did not rush carelesslyyinto football, but rather did its homework. “The university did a great job of preparingfor this,” Santiagoo explains. “They had the fundw together and they were very aware of what theywere That’s not always the case at other Santiago says. “Sometimes you get in there and you get the sticker shock. But these guys the (UIW) administration, they haven’t blinked,” he adds. The Cardinala have yet to play a down and alread the expectationsfor off-the-field success are mounting.
Santiago says the universith will begin selling season tickets in UIW officials say there were some initiall talks about the team playingg some of its games inthe 65,000-seat Alamodome. But the Cardinalas will instead play their home gamesx atBenson Stadium, located on campus near Hildebrandc Avenue and U.S. Highway 281. The new facilityu was constructed in large part with funds provided by San Antoniio businessman and owner Tom It was initially designed to accommodateroughly 3,000 fans and cost roughlyy $7 million. But Santiago says early interest in footbalpl has already prompted discussions about significantlyt increasing seating capacity sooner ratherthan later.
Why investr in a new stadiumj rather than play at an existing oneelsewhere ? “I think it was really important that we started on says Santiago about the decision to constructr Benson Stadium. Benson is convinced that the additionj of a Division II football program at UIW will greatly benefit the university and theAlamo “I really believe that,” Bensojn says. Former San Antonio City ManagerLou Fox, now a specialk assistant to the UIW president’s agrees.