Wilson Stadium

Baseball

Major Improvements Underway At Earl E. Wilson And Eller Media Stadiums

UNLV baseball and softball building for championship success.

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – As part of an effort to enhance competitiveness and further enable student-athlete success, UNLV Athletics has initiated a series of capital enhancements to its baseball and softball stadiums.

The improvements at Earl E. Wilson Stadium (baseball) include new chair-back seats, a robust shade structure and new padding behind home plate and along the first- and third-base lines. With last year's addition of the Bruce Layne Scoreboard, a new state-of-the-art videoboard, the upgrades will establish the facility as one of the best of its kind in the West.

2019 Cameron Jabara

Improvements are also ongoing at Eller Media Stadium (softball). Over the past 18 months, the Athletics Department has steadily improved the facility with recent modifications including a players' lounge made possible by a generous gift from longtime supporters Chuck and Sylvia Davison, new padding, upgraded perimeter fencing and enhanced lighting.

"Las Vegas is ideal for both baseball and softball," UNLV Director of Athletics Desiree Reed-Francois said. "We are committed to keeping local talent here to play for the Rebels and facilities are essential to that. Thanks to the generosity provided by leading members of our community, we will soon have the finest facilities in the conference that rival any in the country."
 
Work is ongoing to replace every seat at Wilson Stadium with new "legend" style chair-backs featuring ventilation designed to enhance comfort in warm climates. Long requested by UNLV baseball fans, shade will also be part of the stadium experience this spring. The project is scheduled to be finished in advance of first pitch in February.

In addition, the baseball program now has access to a top-notch "fuel station" offering nutritious "grab-and-go" snacks 24 hours a day.

"These changes are truly transformational," said UNLV baseball head coach Stan Stolte, who is entering his fourth year at the helm of the program. "Wilson Stadium will have the look of a brand new facility which gives us a competitive edge in recruiting, while offering our fans unprecedented quality.

"The work reflects the strength of baseball in Las Vegas and also personifies our investment in student-athlete success. We want our student-athletes to have the very best and now, thanks to the generosity of this community, they will."  

Fans can get their first look at the renovated Wilson Stadium when the Rebels open the 2020 season on February 14th.

Like baseball, the softball program now boasts increased nutrition options and will benefit from a new locker room as part of the Athletics Department's renovation of the Lied Athletic Complex, which was initiated by the Boyd Gaming Corporation's generous multi-year gift. Work will soon begin to cover and modernize the batting cages as well.

A multi-year partnership with Baton Rouge-based Marucci, the leading bat maker in Major League Baseball and supplier to top college programs, such as LSU, has also bolstered both UNLV baseball and softball. Equipment, support and service from Marucci has contributed invaluably to the appeal and competitiveness of both programs.

"We need updated, modern facilities and resources to attract championship-caliber talent to our program," said UNLV softball head coach Kristie Fox, who is entering her third year leading the Rebels. "We are making important headway and you can see that in the type of student-athlete that we are now supporting in addition to the success we have experienced recently. We need to keep working, but we are heading towards something special."

Softball opens the 2020 season with the Marucci Desert Classic in February.

 
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