The University has incurred $3,000 in fencing and landscaping destruction since fans rushed the David A. Harrison III field at Scott Stadium to celebrate Saturday's upset win over Georgia Tech, according to damage estimates assessed yesterday.
Assoc. Director of Athletics Michael Thomas said fans caused damage to 25 bushes and part of the fence lining the end of the field at the north end of the stadium.
It will cost $100 to replace each bush, and the University will spend an additional $500 to restore the fence, for a total of $3,000, Thomas said.
"There is substantial damage to the north end of the stadium," and the University will be able to replace only the fence by Saturday's game against Buffalo, he said. Thomas did not say when the bushes would be replaced.
In addition to financial costs, the athletic department has safety concerns about students and fans running onto the field after a game, he said.
"It's obvious that you can replace goal posts, but you can't replace human lives," he added.
University Police arrested and charged first-year Architecture student Andrew Dressel with disorderly conduct after he climbed on a goal post following Saturday's game.
Police officers requested that Dressel get off the goal post, according to Sergeant Michael Gibson, and following his refusal to do so, police arrested him.
Dressel was released on a personal recognizance bond, which requires Dressel to appear before a judge at a scheduled hearing date, set for Nov. 17 at the Albemarle General District Court.
But Dressel said he was proud of being arrested.
"I think it's cool. It adds some spice to my college life," he said. "I definitely don't regret doing it."
Although Dressel said he heard several police officers telling him to get down from his perch on the goal post, he said he continued to jump around on the post for about five minutes.
"It was fun - I wasn't thinking. I don't want to be thought of as a good old boy. I didn't want to be a [wimp] and just come down," he added.
But Craig Littlepage, senior associate director of athletics, expressed concern for fans' safety.
"There's no place for fans to be on the field," Littlepage said. "There's a great potential for injury."
About five years ago, the University installed goal posts specifically designed to resist fans trying to pull them down, he said.
"It makes no sense for students" to try to bring down the goal posts, he added.
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