Softball To Open Brand New Home February 24th
February 09, 2011 | Softball
TAMPA – The University of South Florida softball team will open their brand new state-of-the-art stadium on Feb. 24 against Central Connecticut, the athletic department announced on Wednesday. Remarkably, construction of the new stadium has been completed in less than eight months.
The new softball stadium is part of a one-of-a-kind shared complex with the baseball stadium. The softball complex has a capacity of just over 1,600 and will include 800 chairback seats, two covered fan pavilions and a 30-foot high hospitality deck overlooking both stadiums. Also, the stadium includes food and beverage concessions, merchandise sales and a state-of-the-art press box with two television booths and a hospitality suite. Other exciting features for the players are a softball-specific batting cage area and the largest dugouts in college softball. The stadium also features a cutting-edge video board.
“I can't believe it is about to happen,” head coach Ken Eriksen said. “The women on our current team and the former players all deserve a place they can be proud of. The past alumni have done an incredible job in elevating our program to national relevance over the last 26 years.”
USF will open the 2011 season with the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament (Feb. 11-13) at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. against Marshall. The Bulls will also host the USF Tournament (Feb. 18-20) at the complex in Clearwater.
Both the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament and the USF Tournament will be free to all fans for all games.
If unforeseen construction conditions affect the opening of the park on Feb. 24, then the USF Fairfield Inn and Suites Tampa North Tournament could also be moved to Clearwater.
“All the administrators involved with Mr. Woolard have made sure that our team is getting to move into something very special,” Eriksen said. “To have the opening coincide with my former baseball programs new home makes it even sweeter personally.”
For all other updates on the schedule, stay tuned to GoUSFBulls.com and be sure to check the softball schedule page for the most up-to-date schedule information.
