Austin, Texas—The Concordia University Texas Athletic Department announced today that the University will partner with FieldTurf for the installation of the playing surface for the new baseball field on campus.
Concordia made a monumental move last August when they moved from their Downtown Austin location to the northwest corner of Austin near Cedar Park and Lake Travis. During the move and first year on the new campus, the Tornados practiced and played at multiple facilities in the greater Austin area.
The new field is a work in progress and was led by Coach Gardner before his retirement this past spring. He left the Concordia baseball program after 10 seasons as the all-time wins coach with 241 victories. New baseball coach Tommy Boggs will continue the development of the new baseball field. The new field, yet to be named, has received two major gifts to support its construction, one from a donor who wished to remain anonymous and another from former student-athlete Scott Linebrink of the Chicago White Sox. The field will be the new home for the baseball team in 2010, but will also provide playing space for intramural sports and varsity soccer practices.
“The decision to pick a playing surface was not easy, but in the end, FieldTurf stood above the others considered due to two major factors,” Huntley said. “Our belief in their reputation and quality of their turf specifically for baseball and the references they have in the college baseball network, allowed FieldTurf to rise to the top of our choices.”
“While lots of folks know about FieldTurf from our football product, the reality is that our baseball fields are the finest to be found anywhere. Every Major League team that currently plays its game on artificial turf plays on FieldTurf, and we are very proud of that fact,” FieldTurf CEO Joe Fields said. “Our collegiate baseball installations are growing rapidly, and it is important to FieldTurf to continue to be at the forefront in the ongoing rapid growth of college baseball. We are excited to partner with Concordia University Texas to help create a fabulous baseball facility.”
The University's master plan includes additional athletic playing fields for softball, soccer and track and field. Construction of the new baseball facility is scheduled to begin in August with a completion date of January 2010.
