Princeton Times

Sports

Discussion

June 15, 2012

WVU looking south for temporary baseball home

By Jonathan Greene for the Princeton Times

PRINCETON — As the Princeton Rays get ready to move back into Hunnicutt Field, a new team could call the ballpark home next year.



The West Virginia Mountaineers, who are moving to the Big 12, are currently on a search to find a home for their four conference series they'll host in 2013. West Virginia University Director of Athletics Oliver Luck is looking at least four different venues all in the southern end of the state.



“We're very strongly considering taking all of conference home series against the four Big 12 schools and play some in Charleston and potentially some in the Beckley-Princeton- Bluefield triangle,” Luck said during a recent coach's caravan stop in Princeton. “It depends on schedules and minor league teams. We want to keep those games in the state.



“We're looking at that. We still have a ways to go to figure that all out.”



The Mountaineers currently play at Hawley Field which opened in 1971. Hawley Field would still host non-conference games due to teams being familiar with the lack of amenities there.



“Those are affectively teams that we've played consistently over there so there is no surprise when they come to Hawley Field,” Luck said. “They've been there and done it before. They're use to the fact there are no locker rooms and they have to dress on the bus.”



Luck and the University continues to work on building a new stadium in Morgantown which Luck says they “desperately need.”



Hawley Field will be the smallest ballpark in the Big 12. The Big 12 features several prominent programs such as Texas, Baylor and the newly added TCU. In addition to their performance on the field, all three teams are a hit in the stands. Leading the way is Texas which averages over 6,500 people per game.



ooo



Conference affiliation isn't the only change for the Mountaineers' baseball program next season.



West Virginia will have a new head coach after Luck tabbed TCU associate head coach Randy Mazey to take over for Greg Van Zant.



“I felt that going into the arguably the second toughest baseball conference, maybe the third, that we needed to go in a different direction,” Luck said of the change. “It's going to be a challenge. We'll have to take some time to pick up our program to a point where we can compete with those Big 12 teams.



“I do think we can get there. There are plenty examples of schools with climates like ours in Morgantown that have been successful. [University of Virginia] has done a nice job and part of that is their new stadium. Oregon State has done a nice job. We can do it.”



Mazey, a Johnstown, Pa. native, was previously the head coach at East Carolina (2004-06) and Charleston Southern (1994-96). He has spent the last six seasons as an assistant

under Jim Schlossnagle at TCU, including the last three as associate head coach.



“It is exciting,” Mazey said during his introductory press conference. “I am really looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Big 12. As I talk to some of the great players and hear about some of the great traditions they have around here, I realize that I want to continue that type of tradition. It is exciting to get into the Big 12.



“When you look at the commitment that the administration has to the program, with the future plans for a baseball stadium, it is going to do a tremendous amount for the community down the road. I am looking forward to connecting to the high school coaches in the state, and my staff and I are going to work diligently to bring this program to new levels that it hasn't seen before.”

 

Text Only
Sports