The project also includes more than 10,000 square feet dedicated to a new weight room and pitching lab, a component Vanderbilt said is intended to prioritize player development alongside the upgraded spectator amenities. | Photo Credit: Vanderbilt University
- Vanderbilt University marked the topping out of a new right-field structure at Hawkins Field on June 16.
- The addition will include private suites, premium seating, two new bars and a new player pitching lab.
- When complete, the project will include about 50,000 square feet of new or enhanced space.
- Construction is scheduled to continue through the offseason, with completion expected during the VandyBoys’ 2027 season.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt University marked a major construction milestone at Hawkins Field with a June 16 topping out ceremony for the ballpark’s new right-field structure.
The project is designed to expand the fan experience and strengthen player development resources at the baseball stadium, which opened in 2002.
The right-field addition will house private suites, premium seating, two new bars and a player pitching lab. Vanderbilt said the project will ultimately expand the Hawkins Field footprint to approximately 50,000 square feet of new or improved space, including student-athlete resources, added capacity, premium seating and expanded food and beverage options.
At the ceremony, Vanderbilt leaders framed the work as both a facilities upgrade and an extension of the baseball program’s identity.
“You can build a baseball diamond pretty much anywhere, but it takes more than chalk lines and a fence to make that ballpark part of the community,” Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee said at the ceremony, according to an article from Vanderbilt University. “At Vanderbilt, Hawkins Field is a part of who we are, reflecting our best collaborative traditions and boldest championship ambitions.”
The project also includes more than 10,000 square feet dedicated to a new weight room and pitching lab, a component Vanderbilt said is intended to prioritize player development alongside the upgraded spectator amenities.
Coach Tim Corbin said the project is intended to give the facility a distinct Vanderbilt identity.
“We don’t want this to look like any other ballpark in our conference. We want people who come to the ballpark to know that this is Vanderbilt,” Corbin said, according to an article from Vanderbilt University. “We’ll be back in Omaha [for the College World Series], and this project will help us move in that direction.”
Construction will continue throughout the offseason, and Vanderbilt expects the project to be completed during the VandyBoys’ 2027 season.
The current work follows previous Hawkins Field renovations. Vanderbilt said a 2016 capstone gift from former VandyBoys player and AL Cy Young winner David Price helped launch a campaign that delivered existing infrastructure, including hitting facilities, a classroom and an alumni locker room.
The Hawkins Field project is part of the broader Vandy United growth initiative, which supports major facilities and operational improvements for Vanderbilt athletic programs.