University of Minnesota Athletics
SOFTBALL STADIUM GROUNDBREAKING SET FOR JULY 27
7/26/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Participants in the ceremony include Women's Athletics Director Chris Voelz; Co-Head Coaches Lisa Bernstein and Julie Standering; John and Sage Cowles, who donated $1 million toward the funding of the new stadium; Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, Patricia B. Spence, member of the University of Minnesota Borad of Regents, and Gopher senior softball player Dana Ballard.
Notes:
In addition to John and Sage Cowles' gift of $1 million, other funding for the softball stadium came from $1 million appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature
The first games to be played in the new stadium will be Friday, March 31, 2000 when the Gophers host Iowa in a Big Ten doubleheader at 4 p.m.
The lighted-for-television facility will have both grandstand (bench-back) and stadium (box-chair) seating for 1,000 spectators. A two-story building will include restrooms, food services, athletics training, a substantial press box and team meeting facilities. A ticket kiosk and plaza area will be built at the entrance to the stadium, along with additional practice facilities.
The Gophers have always used the same plot of land behind the Bierman building to play their home softball games. In the last four years, Minnesota has been very successful on that site, winning 45 of its 57 games (.789) at the Bierman Softball Stadium.
In 26 years of Minnesota Softball, the Gophers are 734- 529-2 (.551). Minnesota has won Big Ten Championships in 1986, 1988 and 1991, and won the Big Ten Tournament championship in 1999. The Gophers have qualified for the NCAA tournament five times, including three in the last four years.
Lisa Bernstein's eight-year record with the Gophers is 288-202-1 (.588) In the last four years, the Gophers are 177-78 (.694). Julie Standering is in her eighth year with the program, and was promoted to the co-head coach position in 1999. Her one-year record is 48-20 (.706).