LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Seven programs were honored as 2023 Netting Professionals/NFCA Fields of the Year, the Association announced on Friday afternoon.
Earning recognition in 2023 are Kamphuis Field/Liberty Softball Stadium (Liberty University/NCAA DI), Irwin Ballpark (University of Texas at Tyler/NCAA DII), Captains Park (Christopher Newport University/NCAA DIII), Christensen Memorial Field (Siena Heights University/NAIA), Wrangler Field (Odessa College/NJCAA), FLC Falcon Stadium (Folsom Lake College/Cal JC) and Barrington’s Fields of Dreams Complex – Champions Field (Barrington High School).
This award, made possible by NFCA Official Sponsor Netting Professionals, recognizes top fields/stadiums in the nation for their flawless grounds maintenance and exceptional playing surfaces. These locations are selected by the NFCA Awards Committee for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Cal JC, NWAC, and High School.
The winners were nominated by NFCA member coaches and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee. They will be recognized on Dec. 9 during the NFCA Convention's annual Awards Brunch.
NCAA Division I: Kamphuis Field/Liberty Softball Stadium – Liberty University
Designed after top Major League Baseball facilities, Liberty Stadium (opened in 2015) provides a professional experience for the student-athletes and fans. Its individual 1,000 wide chairback seating allows spectators a great line of sight, while an outfield berm can cater to 500-plus more fans. It features a climatized two-story indoor training area with batting cages, pitching machines, stereo speakers and two HItTrax systems on one level and 2,000 square-foot upper level with a team activity room, film room staff locker rooms, six offices and conference room. A full-time grounds crew is dedicated to maintaining the field and the facility.
NCAA Division II: Irwin Ballpark – University of Texas at Tyler
Irwin Ballpark has natural playing surface, comprising of Bermuda/Rye and dirt/clay mixtures with the infield surface laser leveled annually. Seating comprises of 95 chairbacks, 220 bleacher seats and seat deck of 100 to go along with standing room, bringing its capacity to almost 800. Additionally, the facility features, a 12-foot video board, press box, and four covered turf batting cages with retractable netting. A continuous host of NCAA postseason competition, Irwin has hosted two Division III national championship tournaments, along with 10 regional and six super regional rounds. Behind a joint effort between the softball staff and the field crew, Irwin continues a picturesque look into May with many people mistaking it for an artificial turf field.
NCAA Division III: Captains Park – Christopher Newport University
A combination of a premier natural playing surface, along with numerous seating options make for a wonderful setup for the teams competing and spectators attending a game. The outfield is a bermuda hybrid with a laser-graded DuraEdge infield mix. In 2015, Captains Park added a climate controlled press box, chairback seating, an unique standing and sitting areas, along with a new lighting system and 38-foot sunken dugouts. Additionally, the facility includes a double batting cage and four-lane home bullpen along with a visitor bullpen. The facility has hosted numerous NCAA Division III regionals and Conference tournaments.
NAIA: Christensen Memorial Field – Siena Heights University
Christensen Memorial Field has transformed from a recreational park to a collegiate stadium. During the transformation, the facelift included going from a chain link fence and five rows of bleachers to a 250-seat capacity stadium that features a six-foot fence, 31-feet of foul territory (width), and an inground irrigation system. The Siena Heights coaching staff has maintained a quality natural surface, which consists of a Diamond Pro Vitrified red infield mix, in a northern climate. Since 2015, the facility has seen renovations to a new scoreboard, previously-mentioned outfield wall, backstop, batting cage, along with the most recent upgrades to a new infield surface, stadium seating, LED lights, dugout heaters and softball offices.
NJCAA: Wrangler Field – Odessa College
Wrangler Field, which opened in 2013, is an all-natural playing surface that is maintained by the coaching staff. In 2019, several upgrades were made to the facility which included new turf batting cages, along with the gutting of the home bullpens and resurfacing by the coaching staff. An upgraded windscreen was erected in 2020 and the coaching staff resurfaced and leveled the infield and warning tracks in 2021. The facility also includes a press box, concession stand, team room with a lounge area, kitchen, athletic training room, equipment room and offices, along with a video board.
Cal JC: FLC Falcon Stadium – Folsom Lake College
FLC Falcon Stadium, which displays an open a scenic environment, is one of the largest new softball stadiums in Northern California with a pristine natural dirt and grass playing surface. It includes lights, which allows for night games, backstop netting, large dugouts, scoreboard, live-streaming cameras, speakers, unobstructed seating, a press box (8-10 person capacity) and a modernized athletic complex. All these features provide a great experience for spectators, staff and student-athletes.
High School: Barrington’s Fields of Dreams Complex – Champions Field – Barrington HS (Ill.)
Originated in 1991, the Fields of Dreams Complex has hosted thousands of games for the community’s youth. In 2021, a school district referendum passed and allowed for improvements to the facility. Included in those improvements were a new video scoreboard, padded outfield wall, covered batting cages and a renovated concession building overseeing the four-field complex. Home to Barrington High School, it has hosted the Barrington HS Spring Fling (2005-pres.), Illinois Coaches Association 16-team tournament 2017-19) and IHSA Super Sectionals (1992-pres.).
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaching awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from webinars to legal counsel, to in-person events and the National Convention.
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