Ole Miss softball set to play in new and 'immaculate' stadium for first time in 2024
After spending the first month of the season on the road the Ole Miss softball team will play its first home games of the season come March 1.
The extended road trip was to allow for the new softball stadium as completed as possible, though there will be still plenty of ‘excuse our mess’ signs hanging around this Friday.
When The Ole Miss Spirit spoke with Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter last week he provided an update on the stadiums progress, noting last month’s week-long sleet and ice storm did not put the project behind schedule.
The softball team (11-3) got to see the game-ready finished product on Sunday when they returned from the Clemson Classic where it went 2-2 on the weekend.
“It’ll be ready to play,” Carter said.
“I think from a playing perspective the field is going to be immaculate. It’s going to be great. Everything that will effect the play and everything on the field will look really good. I don’t know what it’s going to look like from the center field view for the TV and all that with the temporary pressbox and all that. You’ll be able to tell there’s construction going on around.”
Fans will be allowed to sit in an outfield seating area which will hold around 400 people while the stands behind home plate are built. Games will be able to be streamed and televised as usual, starting Friday with the Ole Miss Classic airing on SEC Network+ all weekend.
“We will keep the construction fence up around it and we’ll only open it for games then close it back off and continue to work. It’s temporary and certainly mid-construction but as far as surface and dugouts and putting the game on TV and all the essential things we need to play a game is going to be ready to roll.”
The project, which is part of the CHAMPIONS.NOW campaign, started last summer with the demolition of the old Ole Miss softball complex. The field was turned around to have home plate facing northeast now instead of southeast as it previously was.
Construction will be ongoing through the 2024 season but should be completed by the time the 2025 season starts next February. There will be a parking lot added to the west of the complex.
