BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University softball team will have a place to call home this spring.

Lamar University broke ground today for a new softball stadium on campus that will be ready for the upcoming season. The stadium, designed by BRW Architecture, will feature seating for 650 fans. Future plans call for an outfield grass berm that would accommodate an additional 250 spectators. The natural-grass facility will have field lighting, bullpens, dugouts, an enclosed hitting area, an electronic scoreboard and a press box.

“We are excited about having a stadium on campus,” Bruder said. “This will round out our program. Having a quality stadium will help us win a Southland Conference championship.”

Softball returned to Lamar in 2013, and for the first two seasons, the Lady Cardinals played their home games at Ford Park. When the stadium is completed, the Lady Cardinals will be able to practice and play games just steps away from their locker room inside the Lamar Soccer/Softball Complex building.

Bruder gave plenty of credit to Lamar University President Dr. Kenneth R. Evans and Athletics Director Jason Henderson for their efforts to get an on-campus stadium.

We’ve had a dream of playing in our own stadium, and today that dream is becoming a reality.”

Evans believes the new stadium will be a tremendous asset to the university.

“With this new stadium and the new administration and Honors College building along with the Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship,” this area along Rolfe Christopher Drive will be a beautiful gateway into Lamar,” Evans said. “This is an exciting time for the university.”

 The Lady Cardinals quickly became a force to reckon with in the Southland Conference. Lamar qualified for the Southland Conference Tournament in 2013 and was eliminated for tournament consideration on the final day of the regular-season in 2014.

Lamar opens its 2015 season on Feb. 5 at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. The first home game at the new stadium is set for 3 p.m. Friday, March 6, when Houston Baptist provides the opposition for a Southland Conference doubleheader.

LAMAR