WACO, Texas — McLennan Community College broke ground Thursday on a major athletics renovation which will add lights and turf two both fields at Bosque River Ballpark.
The McLennan Community College Foundation began raising funds for the facility upgrades about a year ago. More than a dozen donors contributed to the project.
"I think what it's gonna do is it's gonna separate our programs," Head Baseball Coach Mitch Thompson said. "It's going to force everyone else to continue to try and chase us." And I think honestly, on the field, I think we've been fortunate to be successful, but this is going to bring us to another level. And it's going to help us recruit and bring in more talented players and it sets the bar for everybody else,">
The new baseball field will be named McClinton Field at Bosque River Ballpark after Paul McClinton, a major donor to the project. The softball field will remain unnamed.
McLennan has enjoyed significant success in both baseball and softball in recent seasons. In 2021, the MCC baseball team won an NJCAA Division I National Championship.
Over the weekend, the Highlanders won the NJCAA Region V Tournament, punching their ticket to Grand Junction and the Junior College World Series for the second straight season.
The McLennan softball team also won its regional tournament and regular season conference title, earning them a trip to the National Tournament in Yuma, Arizona.
"I think honestly, on the field, I think we've been fortunate to be successful, but this is going to bring us to another level," Thompson said. "And it's going to help us recruit and bring in more talented players and it sets the bar for everybody else."
The renovations are scheduled to be completed in plenty of time for the 2023 season opener.
