Fresno State’s Bulldog Express rolls through Modesto

It began at a doughnut shop in Caruthers and finished at a ristorante in Modesto.

Fresno State coaches and sports administration staff piled into an RV and rolled up and down the Valley this week. They entertained donors, shook hands with fans, conducted interviews and promoted the Bulldogs. The idea seems old school in today’s digital world. But as athletic director Jim Bartko said, showing appreciation to your fans is never a bad idea.

“Our fans come to Fresno every weekend, or a Thursday or a Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. for a TV game,” said Bartko, a 1983 graduate of Central Catholic High School. “Time for us to go see them and say thank you. We want to make sure people know where we’re at and that we’re the Valley’s team.”

It was billed as the Bulldog Express, a three-day tour that climaxed Wednesday with stops in Madera, the Boys and Girls Club in Merced, lunch at 10 East in Turlock and dinner at Galletto Ristorante in Modesto.

They covered about 500 miles, all to add power to the Red Wave. Bartko, formerly at Oregon, sees parallels in the buildup of the Ducks into a national power and what can happen at Fresno State.

“Bulldog Stadium is a lot like Autzen,” he said in reference to Oregon’s football home. “Our stadium is 35 years old and not much has been done to it.”

A year ago, Bartko launched an ambitious project to modernize Bulldog Stadium. The venture was jump-started last week by a gift of $1.5 million from a former student-athlete who wished to remain anonymous. Bartko believes the refurbishing could be completed for the 2019 home opener against Minnesota.

“We have a window,” Bartko said. “Do it now or wait 10 or 15 years and do it at double the price.”

The project was good news to Tim DeRuyter, entering his fifth season as football coach. DeRuyter, whose Bulldogs struggled to a 3-9 record in 2015, doesn’t mind following through on the work of Pat Hill, his predecessor. Hill envisioned marketing Fresno State as the Valley’s team. He even stamped a “V” on the Fresno State helmet, and it’s still there.

“That’s one of the unique things about Fresno State. You’re the Valley’s team, the one true college town in the state,” DeRuyter said. “On a game day, they’ve got their Fresno State banners flying. That doesn’t happen in most places in California.”

DeRuyter will steward brothers Justin and Jared Rice, two huge contributors to Central Catholic’s four straight state titles. Justin, a 2016 CC graduate, has a chance to play this fall. DeRuyter said one of his three freshman running backs will see action. If not, Justin will redshirt as Jared, a tight end, did last fall.

“Both our offensive and defensive coaches wanted him (Justin Rice),” DeRuyter said. “Body-type-wise, he could play linebacker, safety or running back. He’s a tough, hard-nosed kid who has a chance to play right away. Who ever figures it out the fastest and is the most productive will play.”

DeRuyter also mentioned safety Jackson Finch, another Central Catholic alum who transferred to Fresno State from Contra Costa College. Finch, a safety, could make the two-deep roster.

Men’s basketball coach Rodney Terry has orchestrated a hoops revival at Fresno State. The Bulldogs, the Mountain West Conference tournament champions, went 25-10 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years.

Save Mart Center, the arena built with a big boost from the late Save Mart CEO Bob Piccinini of Modesto, became a bona fide home-court advantage last season. The Bulldogs averaged nearly 6,300 fans, fourth-best in California, and responded by going 16-2 at home.

“We’re blessed to have one of the best venues on the West Coast,” said Terry, who returns 10 players from last season’s team. “It’s a state-of-the-art building, and it’s becoming more basketball friendly.”

Women’s swimming and diving coach Jeanne Fleck vows to always keep an eye on the area for recruits. Her point is proven by senior Hailee Baldwin, the Pitman High graduate who will serve as the team captain, and junior Katelin Britton from Gregori. Brooke Fuller, a Johansen graduate, swam for Fresno State through 2014.

“Hailee is the heart and soul of our team,” Fleck said. “We couldn’t be where we are today without the Baldwin and Britton families.”

The coaches appeared to enjoy their grass-roots campaign, and why not? They pitched Fresno State in a homespun way not filtered by social media. Their purpose was direct and their commitment genuine. Bartko saw old friends at what he called “my territory.”

“We have a great staff. We’re going to compete for championships, graduate our kids and have fun doing it,” he promised. “We’ll be innovative and we’ll get it done.”

This story was originally published June 29, 2016 at 8:02 PM with the headline "Fresno State’s Bulldog Express rolls through Modesto."