GCU Today April Digital Issue 2018

GCU MAGAZ I NE • 1 9 Two Grand Canyon University diamonds have become facility gems. The University opened Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark and GCU Softball Stadium to be the Lopes’ new baseball and softball homes, respectively. Brazell Field remains situated as it has been since 1962, when baseball program founder Dr. Dave Brazell designed the field on the campus’ western edge. Since last offseason, GCU constructed a new 3,500-seat stadium around the field, and the reigning Western Athletic Conference champions drew an overflow crowd for the Feb. 16 opener against perennial power Texas Christian. GCU Ballpark includes chairback seating, grandstand shading, a concession stand that tripled in size, dugouts that doubled in size, a team shop, a 1,000-square-foot press box, 21 new LED field lights, 37 restroom fixtures, a platform viewing area and an elevator. Field seating sections will be renovated next offseason, but the current design already includes a right-field seating berm. “To see it keep moving and come to fruition has been amazing,” said GCU’s seventh-year baseball coach, Andy Stankiewicz. “It’s the jewel in the desert. It’s got a spring training look about it with the batting cages, the (practice) half-field and the stadium. Baseball fans who have gone to those big-league spring training sites, I hope they see a comparison to here.” The softball venue had its new field and batting cages for the 2017 season, but the defending WAC champions now have a 1,200-seat stadiumwith canopy shading. The grandstand features chairback seating in the middle and benches with back supports on the sides. A crowd of 1,249 attended GCU Softball Stadium’s Feb. 8 opener, and 1,403 fans came a night later when reigning national champion Oklahoma visited. “It’s eye-catching,” 15th-year softball coach Ann Pierson said. “You don’t have to know anything about the sport. You look at everything from the fence line back. Having been here as long as I have, I know what the changes were and the transition is. I love that people get to see it now.” The openings concluded GCU’s “10 in 2” initiative, in which 10 new athletic facilities opened in two years – GCU Stadium, GCU Ballpark, GCU Softball Stadium, GCU Basketball Practice Facility, GCU Tennis Facility, GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium, Lopes Performance Center expansion, GCU Golf Course practice areas, an athletics equipment room and GCU Student-Athlete Development Center. — PAUL CORO THEY’RE BOTH A HIT: Baseball, softball stadiums open Brazell Field at GCU Ball- park has seating for 3,500, which includes a berm down the right-field line. photo by david kadlubowski GCU Softball Stadium can seat 1,200, and everyone has a great view of the field. photo by slaven gujic