Decade in Review: Facility Upgrades

General 12/27/2019 2:43:00 PM @seth_walters1

Decade in Review: Facility Upgrades

With the conclusion of the decade imminent, CU Athletics will be posting a series of articles on cugoldeneagles.com and posting on social media highlighting the major storylines, successes, and reviews of the past ten years in Cornerstone Athletics.
DECADE IN REVIEW:
December 26 – New Sports

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Since 2010, the Golden Eagles have seen a few major facility renovations. In addition to small upgrades to both the Soccer Stadium and the Hansen Center, Cornerstone's campus has added a state-of-the-art baseball facility and softball turf.

De Witt Field
After receiving a generous five-million dollar donation from Jack and Mary De Witt, Cornerstone broke ground on a major project in November 2011 that would provide the University a baseball stadium that doubled as an on-campus residence hall. The field saw its first action on March 14, 2013 in a doubleheader against Indiana Wesleyan. The Golden Eagles won 6-3 in game one before completing the doubleheader sweep with a 4-3 walk off victory in game two.

De Witt Field also hosts sports camps, occasional high school games, and summer tournaments. In the fall, the field is often used by the men's and women's soccer teams to train on its turf surface. The facility has been featured on nationwide media outlets such as Bleacher Report, MLB.com, and Sports Illustrated.

stowell de witt — Donors Jack and Mary De Witt (left) with Cornerstone University president Dr. Joe Stowell and his wife, Martie.

Softball Field
The Cornerstone softball field saw significant upgrades in the summer of 2017. The playing surface was changed from a dirt infield and grass outfield to a brand new all-turf field. The new surface eliminated the issues with field drainage during early spring and after significant rainfall. Additionally, lights were installed around the field to allow for evening games and practices. The new turf and lighting made the facility significantly more attractive as an alternative for local games and practices when non-turf fields are not playable. The Golden Eagles will play their third season on the turf in the spring of 2020.

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