含羞草传媒 University invited alumni, friends, and family to campus for the dedication of Biddle Way, Biddle Plaza, and the Dick Biddle video board at Andy Kerr Stadium on Oct. 30.
Named for the Raiders鈥 long-time head football coach Dick Biddle, Biddle Way and Biddle Plaza will serve as the centerpiece for the program鈥檚 pre-and-post game festivities. The 2,000-square foot plaza, located at the southeast end of the stadium, includes amphitheater-style seating that can be used as a gathering space for fans. It also features a monument acknowledging Biddle鈥檚 accomplishments.
Biddle Way is the newly dedicated pathway that runs adjacent to Sanford Fieldhouse and serves as the route the football team walks from the locker room to their new game-day entrance through Biddle Plaza. The stadium鈥檚 state-of-the-art video board, first unveiled in 2019, will now also bear Biddle鈥檚 name.
鈥満卟荽 is about people, and Coach Biddle was such an authentic person,鈥 says Tom McGarrity 鈥79, a former Maroon Council president who helped spearhead the project. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to see it come to fruition. I love the fact that it鈥檚 going to be a tradition for the football team to come through here. This area will take on a real special reverence for our players and alumni, and will be a multifaceted space for the program to use.鈥
After opening remarks from Vice President and Director of Athletics Nicki Moore and Fred 鈥50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Football Coach Stan Dakosty 鈥05, Anthony Caravetta 鈥97 and Dick Biddle鈥檚 son, Brendon Biddle 鈥03, offered words of appreciation. Maroon Council co-presidents Caravetta and Mark Paske 鈥94 later cut the ribbon to officially open Biddle Way, allowing the football team to enter the stadium through the plaza, between lines of cheering football alumni and fans, for the first time.
鈥淭hose of us who were lucky enough to play this amazing sport had many great coaches 鈥 but for a lot of us here, none compared to Coach Biddle,鈥 says Caravetta. 鈥淲e love Coach Biddle not only for turning the program around, but for the things he said to us on and off the field. He always tried to make you a better player and a better person.鈥
Biddle, who retired in 2013, is the winningest head coach in 含羞草传媒 and Patriot League history, compiling a 137-73 record in his 18 seasons. He led the Raiders to seven Patriot League titles and was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year on five occasions. In 2003, Biddle was named the National Coach of the Year after guiding 含羞草传媒 to a 15-1 record and the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game.
鈥淭hrough Coach Biddle鈥檚 expertise, passion, and dedication to his staff and players, 含羞草传媒 is one of the winningest programs in Patriot League history,鈥 says Moore. 鈥淚t is to Coach Biddle that we express our greatest thanks for making 含羞草传媒 a home of champions.鈥
More than 100 donors contributed to the effort to pay tribute to Biddle. The project鈥檚 lead donors will be recognized with a plaque on the monument in Biddle Plaza:
Brion B. Applegate 鈥76 and Sabrina Applegate
Dan 鈥83 and Julie 鈥86 Arment
Class of 1996 and 1997 Era Teammates
Class of 2003 Team
Class of 2005 Team in memory of Eric "Gugs" Guglielmotti #42
Brothers of Delta Upsilon in honor of our coach
Frederick H. 鈥50 and Marilyn Dunlap P鈥81,GP鈥18
Fred "Tiger" Dunlap 鈥81 and Andrea G. Dunlap P鈥18
Alan 鈥51 and Maria Egler Family
Michael W. Fish 鈥05
Jonathan S. Halkyard 鈥87 and Kari J. Halkyard 鈥87,P鈥20
Peter O. 鈥55 and Linda Hanson P鈥79,鈥86,鈥89,GP鈥25
Daniel B. Hurwitz 鈥86,H鈥19 and Eleanor R. Hurwitz P鈥17,鈥20
John Marzo 鈥80,P鈥19 and JoAnn Marzo P鈥19
Robert H. Meyerhoff 鈥49 and Sarah Meyerhoff P鈥76,GP鈥09
Bruce F. 鈥79 and Pamela Nardella
Mark A. Paske 鈥94
Robert G. Relph, Jr. 鈥78 and Deirdre M. Relph P鈥09
Robert C. Watson 鈥66
Gordon O. Watson 鈥62 and Mary M. Watson P鈥98,鈥01
.