UNT Announces Construction of New Softball Clubhouse

UNTLifer · January 30

https://meangreensports.com/news/2025/1/30/unt-announces-construction-of-softball-clubhouse

"This clubhouse is huge for our program. We've built something special here in Denton, and now our facilities will match the level we compete at," head coach Rodney DeLong said. "Our players deserve this and have earned it with their success on the field. Having a dedicated space for our program is going to make a real difference for both current and future players. It's an exciting time for Mean Green Softball."

Nice job Jared.

Edited January 30 by UNTLifer

Matt from A700 · January 30

Great news. Getting our softball and volleyball teams out of high school facilities should be a higher priority than a new basketball arena, IMO.

UNTLifer · January 31

3 hours ago, Matt from A700 said:

Great news. Getting our softball and volleyball teams out of high school facilities should be a higher priority than a new basketball arena, IMO.

Agreed. I still think they should reinstall the retractable bleachers in Bahnsen Gym and make that the volleyball facility for games.

Matt from A700 · February 1

On 1/30/2025 at 7:45 PM, UNTLifer said:

Agreed. I still think they should reinstall the retractable bleachers in Bahnsen Gym and make that the volleyball facility for games.

I want to agree with that, but have never been inside that building so I don't know if it's possible. I definitely would like to convert it into our own women's arena like Memphis has, if it's feasible.

Also, I didn't read the clubhouse article till the end of the day and noticed the clubhouse will include the patio. Inside sources indicate this is the right field party deck we've been waiting for. I can't wait to see renderings of that.

Once that grandstand is finally expanded we will be hosting conference championships in Denton.

Matt from A700 · 2025-03-05T02:40:27Z

Took in Baylor's Gettleman Stadium for three games of the softball tournament this past weekend and got me thinking about the future of Lovelace.

The annual progress is evident. Most recent upgrades include green lighting and a new video board. But I am especially excited to see the clubhouse and right field patio. It will be a nice touch to a stadium that still feels like a youth complex when you walk in, and is full of temporary structures - the metal bleachers, pressbox, and detached bullpens.

I am also excited to think about what Phase 3 - the grandstand - will look like. With TCU and SMU not fielding D1 softball teams, UNT has a prime opportunity to be the biggest softball show in the Metroplex.

Baylor was only the third opposing softball stadium I've visited, and while it's no Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas (a really fabulous ballpark) it serves its purpose. It seats about 1,200 fans compared to our 450. A third of that is chairbacks. The other 800 bleacher seats are divided four sections of roughly 200 - two on each side.

With our new grandstand, I think taking off a section on both sides - having chairbacks behind home plate and a section of ~200 bleacher seats behind each dugout would be great. This would put seating capacity around 800 and allow crowds to grow beyond friends and family. The Maniacs could start coming out and you could sell group tickets to the countless number of schools in the area that currently feature a Mean Green player.