Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

3 projects worth $49 million on the way

The next two years are scheduled to bring a phenomenal spurt of new sports facilities to the Metro area with massive projects planned at Coe College, Mount Mercy University and Prospect Meadows Ball Fields.

Coe has earmarked $20 million for its "Make Your Move" campaign to build a new performance arena on campus, along with a fitness center, new wrestling room and a bridge across College Drive to connect the new facilities to the Clark Racquet Center.

Mount Mercy plans to spend $15 million on its "Home Field Advantage" project to build a new stadium for soccer and track, a new baseball field and a new softball field on land next to campus.

Prospect Meadows has a price-tag of $14 million for a 17-field complex of eight regulation baseball fields, eight softball fields and one Miracle Field on land at the junction of Highway 13 and County Home Road just north of Marion.

All three projects are scheduled to break ground this year. Coe and Mount Mercy plan to get started this spring, while Prospect Meadows hopes to get started sometime in 2016 if the next phase of its fundraising falls into place.

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Mount Mercy men dumped by Dubuque

DUBUQUE - The Dubuque Spartans pulled away from Mount Mercy in the final five minutes Wednesday night and whipped the Mustangs, 85-72, in the final round of the Dubuque holiday men's basketball tournament.

Linn-Mar grad Derik Gogg pulled Mount Mercy within 63-62 with 5:28 left in the game, but Dubuque outscored the Mustangs 22-10 coming down the stretch for the comfortable victory.

Tre Wagner led Mount Mercy (10-5) with 14 points and made the all-tournament team. Sheawn Bedford scored 12 points, Ben Struss 11 points and Chris Ford 10 points for the Mustangs. Starting center Alex Houston did not play for Mount Mercy.

Andre Norris scored 18 points for Dubuque (7-4). Kain Arthofer had 17 points, Jake Weber 16 and Jacob Mohlis 11. Norris and Weber yanked down 12 rebounds apiece.

MOUNT MERCY (72): Gogg 3 1-3 7, Wagner 4 5-6 14, Ford 4 1-1 10, Parker 2 0-0 5, Bedford 5 0-0 12, Strong 3 0-0 6, Murdock 0 0-0 0, Brawner 1 1-1 3 Blohm 0 0-1 0, Lamaak 2 0-0 4, Struss 3 2-2 11. Totals 27 10-14 72.

DUBUQUE (85): Norris 7 2-3 18, Weber 5 6-8 16, Vogel 1 4-4 6, Mohlis 3 2-2 11, Arthofer 7 2-4 17, Moutry 0 0-0 0, Clayton 0 0-0 0, Branch 1 1-1 3, Morrisey 1 2-2 4, Newsome 3 4-4 10. Totals 28 23-28 85.

Halftime - Mount Mercy 35, Dubuque 34. 3-point goals - Mount Mercy 8 (Struss 3, Bedford 2, Wagner 1, Ford 1, Parker 1), Dubuque 6 (Mohlis 3, Norris 2, Arthofer 1).

Mount Mercy men trim Simpson

DUBUQUE - The Mount Mercy men's basketball team edged Simpson, 78-74, Tuesday in the first round of the Jon Davison Classic in Dubuque.

The Mustangs were clinging to a 76-74 lead with five seconds left when Tre Wagner stepped to the foul line for Mount Mercy. Wagner made two foul shots to give the Mustangs a four-point lead and clinch the victory.

Wagner and Mychael Brawner scored 17 points apiece for Mount Mercy (10-4). Alex Houston added 15 points and CJ Parker netted 12.

Sam Amsbaugh tossed in 24 points for Simpson (6-4).

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Mount Mercy women fall to No. 10 club

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team gave 10th-ranked St. Francis a good battle Tuesday before falling, 60-56, at a holiday event in West Palm Beach.

Ashley Dolan led the Mustangs (6-10) with 14 points. Abby Herb and Alisa Weiland scored 11 points apiece. Makenzie Zeitler grabbed 12 rebounds.

Charnelle Reed led St. Francis (11-1) with 21 points.

ST. FRANCIS (60): Ekhomu 1 4-4 7, Osusky 3 2-4 8, Reed 10 1-2 21, Jordan 4 0-0 11, Giddings 0 0-0 0, Markovic 3 3-6 11, Brown 0 0-2 0, Rouse 0 0-0 0, Brand 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 10-18 60.

MOUNT MERCY (56): Herb 5 0-0 11, Weiland 4 0-0 11, Harmon 2 2-3 6, Zeitler 1 2-4 5, Thompson 0 0-0 0, Blowers 0 0-0 0, Jordan 3 0-0 9, Sexton 0 0-0 0, Lampe 0 0-0 0, O'Donnell 0 0-0 0, Dolan 5 3-6 14, Lehman 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 7-13 56.

Halftime - St. Francis 35, Mount Mercy 27. 3-point goals - St. Francis 6 (Jordan 3, Markovic 2, Ekhomu 1), Mount Mercy 9 (Weiland 3, Jordan 3, Herb 1, Zeitler 1, Dolan 1).