Furman fans and students have a lot of burning questions about Furman Athletics, especially given all the developments over the last year. On Jan. 29, Furman fans met with athletic director Jason Donnelly, head football coach Clay Hendrix, and “The Voice of the Paladins,” Dan Scott, for answers. The discussion was open-ended and covered various topics about sports ranging from football, basketball, and the condition of the baseball team.
Clay Hendrix opened the meeting by giving fans an update on how the football team is progressing in this strange off-season. The Paladins have just under 3 weeks until the opening matchup against Western Carolina. Hendrix let fans know that he is pleased with the progress they are making as this veteran team is set to take the field on Feb. 20. “We were certainly way ahead of where we would normally be day one of preseason practice,” according to Hendrix. When asked about scheduling, Coach Hendrix told fans that he is eager to get high-quality teams in Paladin Stadium and on the schedule in order to generate more national recognition. Furman was scheduled to play against Tennessee this past season, but after the SEC changed policy to allow only in-conference play, Furman was forced to cancel. Currently, the matchup is set to be rescheduled for 2026. Furman’s next FBS game will be against NC State in the upcoming fall season.
Athletic Director Jason Donnelly also announced that there will be a new tailgating section made next to the stadium for students, fans, and alumni to congregate and create a better game day experience when it is safe to do so again. Donnelly ensured that everyone is monitoring the condition of COVID-19 in both Furman’s campus and the Greenville community in order to make the best decisions for the safety of everyone involved. He remained hopeful that fans would be able to attend Furman football games in a safe, distanced manner, and at a lower capacity.
Next, the conversation shifted to a basketball focus. After an image leaked on the Unofficial Furman Sports Page hinting at a new stadium, Donnelly said that they are in the works of a full makeover to Timmons Arena. First, the outside of the arena will be renovated to look more appealing. “Right now, when you drive past Timmons, you wouldn’t have even known you drove by an arena” according to Donnelly, so these renovations seek to enhance Furman’s curb appeal. The second part of these renovations will be focused on the interior of the arena in order to transform the fan experience. It will include features such as 360-degree concourse seating, improved student seating, donor seating, luxury boxes, and an entertainment deck for everyone to enjoy. “The whole purpose to this is that Timmons provides a great home court advantage and the building itself has got really good bones… we can do a comprehensive renovation with what it has to offer” explained Donnelly. These factors have an impact on recruiting, retainment, and overall revenue. In addition to the Timmons’ renovation, there will be a men’s and women’s practice facility to maximize the use of the arena. These renovations are still in development, but Donnelly said, “I think things are going really well… we have got to land a corner stone gift to really unlock the potential… We are really excited…when we can share more about it, we will”.
Finally, the Zoom call turned to the question everyone was thinking but no one had asked: the state of the baseball team and men’s lacrosse team. Dan Scott asked Donnelly about the condition of the men’s baseball team concerning their indefinite termination following financial concerns at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The baseball team was one of the oldest sports on campus and news of its termination disappointed many people. Donnelly opened up with a sigh and said, “It’s by far the hardest topic that I’ve had to discuss since I got to Furman and it’s not anything I’d imagine we’d have to discuss.”
Donnelly explained that Furman is a tuition-driven institution, meaning that the student body drives income. Unlike Clemson and South Carolina, the students provide the budget at Furman. Furman made a strategic change several years ago to raise academic and admissions prestige by downsizing the student body. Although their decision helped to prioritize academics, that strategy in combination with the pandemic caused Furman Athletics to reallocate their budget. According to Donnelly, “The numbers were not working… less students on campus, less tuition, less in our budget.” Donnelly reported that they were told to cut $5 million from their budget. There were also gender equity issues that were a part of this decision as well. Furman has a 60% female population, and athletics teams are required to reflect the composition of the student body. He went on to state that the baseball funding is just not there right now. When asked if the baseball team is gone for now, or gone forever, Donnelly claimed that he believes it is gone for now. Baseball could come back if Furman is financially smart for the next 3-4 years. Until then, Furman made a promise that the baseball stadium would be maintained as if the team was still using it to honor the alumni. There have been fundraising attempts to bring baseball back, but as of today, none of them have gained enough traction to restart the program.
