SU Opens New Softball Stadium
SALISBURY, MD---Improvements to Salisbury University’s athletics complex continue with the opening of the new Sea Gull Softball Stadium today.
Fans enjoyed a festive ribbon cutting prior to the team’s first home game of the season with SU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach, alumni players and others throwing out ceremonial first pitches.
“Head coach Margie Knight has expertly guided this program for years and I’m excited to see to what new heights our Sea Gulls will fly with this stadium,” Dudley-Eshbach said. “Our coaches and student-athletes deserve facilities befitting their commitment and their winning traditions.”
“This new softball stadium and field have been a long time coming for Coach Knight and her players,” added Dr. Gerry DiBartolo, interim athletics director. “We hope supporters enjoy it, too.”
Located at the corner of Bateman and South Division streets, the facility features permanent seating for 500 fans, along with expanded, heated dugouts for home and visiting teams, a ticket booth, a larger press box behind home plate and permanent bathrooms. It also has improved bullpens, four batting cages, a new scoreboard, a dedicated entry plaza and appealing exterior landscaping.
The playing area also got a big upgrade with the addition of artificial turf in the outfield. “The grass will always be green for Sea Gull softball!” DiBartolo said.
“This is a gem of a facility for Division III softball and our players will gain so much from being able to compete here,” Knight said. “We also wanted to make this a top-notch experience for our fans.”
The $3.2 million facility was constructed with non-state dollars. The previous field had existed at the same location since the 1970s. Demolition began last summer.
Knight, an SU alumna, won three state championships as a high school softball and volleyball coach in nearby Caroline County before returning to her Alma Mater. At Salisbury, she has been named Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year 13 times.
SU’s softball program has 21 NCAA tournament appearances, nine NCAA championship appearances and 19 CAC championship wins. It also has had 36 All-Americans and 168 All-conference honorees.
The ribbon cutting featured the Wicomico High School color guard and the national anthem performed by Squawkappella. It was held during the team’s two-day Sea Gull Classic; the regular season offers 26 home games for fans to enjoy the new facility.
Nearby on SU’s east campus, the new $19 million Sea Gull Stadium for the football, field hockey and lacrosse teams opened last spring. Additional improvements of new turf, a video scoreboard, fixed maroon and gold stadium seats, and interior Sammy the Sea Gull murals were unveiled last fall.
Student-athletes and coaches across all 21 varsity sports have earned 19 team and 24 individual national championships.
To view the 2017 softball schedule, visit www.suseagulls.com. For other information, call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU website at www.salisbury.edu.