Joe Nathan Field

Joe Nathan Field
Joe Nathan Field in 2019
Map
LocationCircle Road, Stony Brook, New York, US
Coordinates40°55′24″N 73°07′23″W / 40.92332°N 73.122951°W / 40.92332; -73.122951
OwnerStony Brook University
OperatorStony Brook University
Capacity1,000
Field sizeLeft Field: 330 feet (100 m)
Left Center Field: 365 feet (111 m)
Center Field: 390 feet (120 m)
Right Center Field: 365 feet (111 m)
Right Field: 330 feet (100 m)
SurfaceFieldTurf
Scoreboard25 feet high
Construction
OpenedMay 20, 2011
Construction cost$1.3 million
Tenants
Stony Brook Seawolves (AEC) (2011–)

Joe Nathan Field is a baseball field on the campus of Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, United States. The field is home to the Stony Brook Seawolves baseball team of the NCAA Division I America East Conference. It is located at the northern end of the school's athletics complex.[1] The field opened on May 20, 2011, replacing Stony Brook's old baseball field, which was known as University Field from 2002 to 2011. The old facility was known as Seawolves Field through the 2002 season, when its name was changed to University Field.[2][3]

The stadium is named after then–Minnesota Twins pitcher and Stony Brook alumnus Joe Nathan, after Nathan's $500,000 gift made extensive renovations possible. The stadium's construction cost was $1.3 million.[4]

History

In August 2008, the Joe Nathan Charitable Foundation donated $500,000 to the Stony Brook athletic department for the construction of a new baseball facility.[5] Construction on the field took place from 2010 to 2011. Compared to the previous University Field, the dimensions of left and right field expanded from 320 to 330 feet, while center field was reduced from 410 to 390 feet, and the grass surface was replaced with FieldTurf.[6]

The field opened on May 20, 2011, for a doubleheader against Albany.[7] In the first game played on the field, Stony Brook defeated Albany 6–2. Nick Tropeano was the first player to pitch on Joe Nathan Field.[8]

Joe Nathan Field has hosted the America East Conference baseball tournament in 2011, 2012,[9] and 2021.[10]

2021 championship game controversy

Joe Nathan Field was typically barred from hosting the America East baseball tournament because the facility lacks lights to allow for nighttime play. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the America East announced that the 2021 tournament would be held at the site of the regular season champion regardless of its standards, allowing for Stony Brook to host.[11]

This ended in controversy when the America East postponed and later canceled the championship game between Stony Brook and NJIT with Stony Brook up 1–0 with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning. As the field lacked lights, the game could not be completed and the America East awarded NJIT the bid to the NCAA tournament, despite Stony Brook being regular season champions, because NJIT had yet to lose in the double-elimination tournament while Stony Brook had lost once.[12] The decision resulted in significant negative backlash against the America East.[13][14]

Later that year, Stony Brook athletic director Shawn Heilbron expressed a need to renovate Joe Nathan Field with a master plan completed, but needed to raise $5 million in order to make it happen.[15]

  • The entrance to Joe Nathan Field
    The entrance to Joe Nathan Field
  • Joe Nathan Field during a Stony Brook baseball game in 2019
    Joe Nathan Field during a Stony Brook baseball game in 2019
  • Joe Nathan's retired No. 22 on the bleachers of Joe Nathan Field
    Joe Nathan's retired No. 22 on the bleachers of Joe Nathan Field

See also

References

  1. ^ Facilities & Directions at goseawolves.cstv.com, URL accessed October 7, 2009. Archived October 7, 2009
  2. ^ Hofstra 17, Stony Brook 16: Box score at seawolves.cstv.com, URL accessed October 7, 2009. Archived October 7, 2009
  3. ^ Stony Brook 19, St. Peter's 11: Box Score at seawolves.cstv.com, URL accessed October 7, 2009. Archived October 7, 2009
  4. ^ Whittle, Patrick (October 28, 2011). "Joe Nathan christening Stony Brook field". Newsday. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  5. ^ "SBU's Joe Nathan Field Makes Its Debut Friday". Three Village, NY Patch. May 19, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  6. ^ Mauser, Brett (May 19, 2011). "SBU's Joe Nathan Field Makes Its Debut Friday". Three Village Patch. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  7. ^ "Baseball opens Joe Nathan Field with sweep of Albany to clinch AE regular season title". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  8. ^ "Joe Nathan Field". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "20–21 Baseball RB (PDF) – America East Conference" (PDF).
  10. ^ "2021 #AEBASE Championship - America East Conference".
  11. ^ Singelais, Mark (May 31, 2021). "Rainout ends local baseball players' shot at the NCAA tournament". Times Union. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Rubin, Roger (May 31, 2021). "Stony Brook baseball team doesn't get chance to play for berth in NCAA Tournament as rain cancels America East final". Newsday. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  13. ^ Tam, Ethan (June 12, 2021). "How the America East ruined their 2021 Baseball Championship — at the expense of Stony Brook". The Statesman. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  14. ^ Lindsay, Matt (June 3, 2021). "America East tournament ends in rainy disarray as Stony Brook baseball denied of championship opportunity". The Statesman. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "Together We Transform Thursday: October 14, 2021". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved May 5, 2022.