Top 50 College Baseball Stadiums rated

Sep 20, 2016, 5:29 PM

Crystal LoGiudice, USA Today

2016 College Baseball Ballpark Experience Rankings

Paul Swaney

07/01/2016

Stadium Journey has visited and reviewed almost every ballpark in Division I college baseball. Here are our rankings of the Top 50 best ballparks in college baseball.

With the College World Series completed, Stadium Journey has compiled the work of correspondents across the country to produce the 2015 NCAA Ballpark Experience Rankings. With 295 NCAA Division I ballparks reviewed, we're just four short of our goal to review each Division I college baseball venue (sorry to Washington State, Monmouth, Tennessee-Martin, and NYIT).

Stadium Journey uses the "FANFARE" system to provide an overall fan experience rating based on several important categories. These categories include F - Food & Beverage (concessions), A - Atmosphere, N - Neighborhood, F - Fans, A - Access, R - Return on Investment, and E - Extras. The combined average score is based on a five star system, where five is the highest rating possible. Be sure to click on each review below for an in-depth description of the ballpark's rating.

While the popularity of college baseball remains regional, the sport continues to grow nationwide. Though often an after thought in the Northeast, it's a passion in the South, California, and in spots across the Midwest. Not only do programs in these regions regularly fill the stands and the win column, but they also provide some of the best venues to catch a game across the country. The hotbed of college baseball fever is undoubtedly the South. In fact, nine of the ballparks in our top ten are in southern states. The SEC dominates our list, with 5 of the top 8 ballparks. Here we present our Top 50 college ballpark experiences for 2016. For our complete library of college baseball reviews, visit the Stadium Journey college baseball page.

#1 LSU Tigers, Alex Box Stadium

DeRon Talley, Stadium Journey

The Tiger baseball experience at Alex Box Stadium has it all, from a powerhouse ballclub, state of the art facility, great food selection, a rabid fanbase, and an intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams. Fans of college baseball would be wise to make the pilgrimage to Baton Rouge part of their ballpark bucket list.

#2 South Carolina Gamecocks, Founders Park

Andy Mantsch, Stadium Journey

A lot of the country considers college baseball an afterthought, but not in Columbia, South Carolina. Tailgaters, boiled peanuts, cold beer and shouts of "Go #####!" start hours before first pitch is even thrown on game days outside Founders Park. Baseball season for the South Carolina Gamecocks is second only to football season. And even that is debatable, depending on who you ask.

#3 Mississippi State Bulldogs, Dudy Noble Field

Craig Jackson

One of the things that someone new to Dudy Noble Field will quickly recognize is the Left Field Lounge. This area, homemade seating for baseball watching and tailgating, is a testament to do-it-yourself engineering. Fans will see seating apparatus that boggle the mind, using cars, trucks, scaffolding, and furniture.The fans in the Left Field Lounge have been known to cook up food and feed it to opposing players during the contest, making up for a bit of the ribbing those players take during the game.

#4 Virginia Tech Hokies, English Field

Aaron S Terry, Stadium Journey

English Field is a truly unique baseball stadium. The seating is unique and varied, and the field itself has several unique features. There is no admission cost, and because it is in the ACC you will see some great match-ups here. This is a must see, if you can make it happen.

#5 Liberty Flames, Liberty Baseball Stadium

Brian Wilmer, Stadium Journey

Worthington Stadium reached the end of its 33-year life just before the 2013 season, as the brand new Liberty Baseball Stadium opened its doors to fans. The facility has drawn nationwide acclaim in its short time of existence, and it sets a clear standard to which programs of its class should aspire.

#6 Arkansas Razorbacks, Baum Stadium at George Cole Field

Bradlee Ross, Stadium Journey

Arkansas fans are also some of the best around when it comes to college baseball. Expect the stadium to be consistently at least 80 percent full. Very few fans arrive late. In fact, almost the entire crowd will be in their seats a full 15 minutes before the game even gets underway. Not only is the punctuality of the fans impressive, but their involvement and engagement with what is happening on the field is as well. They are loud throughout the game and really never quiet down. This venue has the type of crowd that can tell the story of what is occurring on the field just by how they sound.

#7 Florida State Seminoles, #### Howser Stadium

Justin Sutton, Stadium Journey

Most of the seating in the stadium is reserved chair backs, and they all come with their own cup holder. Seats in the higher rows provide more relief from the sun, but after 6 or 6:30, the sun moves behind the stadium. To provide some relief from the heat, giant fans hang in each section, and a cool zone can be found near the right field bleachers. The right field fence may be the most interesting aspect of the ballpark design as it is elevated, protecting traffic and pedestrians behind it

#8 Alabama Crimson Tide, Sewell-Thomas Stadium

Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey

In 2013, the University decided to undertake a $42 million renovation of The Joe. Though technically a renovation, it is essentially a brand new stadium, as very little remains of the old facility. The purposes of the rebuild were to 1) improve the competitive balance of the team, 2) better accommodate the needs of the players, coaches, staff, media and fans, and 3) provide an enhanced fan experience through new amenities and better align the field to provide better sightlines of the action. Construction got underway at the end of the 2014 season and the Tide spent its entire 2015 season playing home games at Hoover?s Metropolitan Stadium, some 40 miles away. Construction is now complete, and it certainly has been worth the wait.

#9 Clemson Tigers, Doug Kingsmore Stadium

Brian Wilmer, Stadium Journey

Doug Kingsmore Stadium, has been the domain of the home nine for greater than 40 years. This slightly greater than 6,000-seat facility gives the Tigers a tremendous home-field advantage -- they've won nearly 80 percent of their games played there since first opening the gates -- and seamlessly blends into a top-flight grouping of facilities on the 17,000-plus acre campus. This stadium doesn't show its age, but it does show its tradition. From your first step into the ballpark to the final words of the alma mater, it is clear that you are part of something special when witnessing Clemson baseball.

#10 Nebraska Huskers, Haymarket Park

James Hilchen, Stadium Journey

In 2002, the Huskers moved to Haymarket Park where they have called home ever since. The stadium has 4,500 seats and can hold an additional 4,000 in the grass berms beyond the outfield wall. The field has won numerous honors for being among the best fields in the country to play on. In 2012, a college baseball writer ranked the field as the fourth best ?big game? atmosphere in college baseball. Haymarket Park is the first collegiate venue to use a system (SubAir) that can heat and cool a field year round, a well needed feature in Lincoln.

#11 Georgia Bulldogs, Foley Field

Georgia will always be known as a football school, and Sanford Stadium is the most popular facility on campus. But the baseball team has held their own, and Foley Field brings in a good crowd on a consistent basis.

#12 Mississippi Rebels, Swayze Field

Since 2009, Ole Miss baseball has swooned support, finishing in the top five in attendance. In 2015, the ballpark averaged just under 8,000 per game. In 2016, Ole Miss was second in the nation in attendance with an average of 8,580 per game. Listed capacity is only 8,500, though only 6,100 of those are traditional seats; general admission seating in the outfield is designed specifically for fold-out chairs and a tailgating-style experience.

#13 Cal State Fullerton Titans, Goodwin Field

The atmosphere at Goodwin Field has it all; from the serenity of the birds chirping from the nearby arboretum to the intense rock music pouring through the sound system during the game. Fans can't help but to feel a sense of awe upon arriving at the stadium. The scoreboard facing the parking lot, the outfield fence, the clubhouse, and the concourse all constantly remind fans that they are in the company of winners.

#14 Vanderbilt Commodores, Hawkins Field

Hawkins Field is about as nice as you can ask for in college baseball. Everything from the brick layout to the Vandy logo etched into the outfield turf makes Hawkins Field a place you have to visit during the college baseball season. If you can'?t make it up to Boston for a Red Sox game to see their famous Green Monster, Hawkins Field has one of its own. At just over a decade old, Hawkins Field gives the baseball fan the ultimate experience, due to how close you can be to the action.

#15 Texas Longhorns, UFCU Disch-Falk Field

There is sort of a feel that everyone knows everyone, especially in the lower season ticket areas. Most of the seating bowl is covered by a large roof, which is perfect for any inclement weather along with providing shade for those hot Texas afternoons. The ballpark is built more like a minor league baseball stadium than a typical college ballpark, providing luxury and making it easy for the fans to enjoy the game. There are two video boards. One behind left field shows the score along with a small video screen, and the right field scoreboard is an excellent video board that shows replays, provides batting lineups and updated stats.

#16 East Carolina Pirates, Clark-LeClair Stadium

Clark-LeClair Stadium carries a reputation as one of the best in the nation and does not disappoint. Sparked by the program's recent success, the school and donors have made much needed stadium updates, and it shows. The stadium has all the modern amenities and even rivals some minor league ballparks. Players and fans alike rave about their stadium and after you visit, you will too.

#17 Oregon Ducks, PK Park

With the University of Oregon financing the project, you had to have known Phil Knight would not settle for anything less than the best. The seats, like the university's basketball and football stadiums, are positioned as close to the field of play to give fans the ultimate experience. Hugging around the curvature of the field, seats go from behind home plate to both base lines, stopping before hitting the outfield. Bleachers are positioned, for students and general admission tickets, on the third base side with Fowl territory on the first base side.

#18 Texas A&M Aggies, Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park

In 2011, renovations made possible through donations by local ice cream company Blue Bell Creameries were started and this led to the new name which came into effect before the 2012 season. Amenities provided by these renovations include a larger concourse and concessions area, a new press box, two grass berms, and more seating closer to the field. Interestingly, capacity was decreased from 7,000 to 5,400 to accommodate the changes.

#19 Rice Owls, Reckling Park

One of the most beautiful and fan friendly college ballparks in America can be found in Houston, Texas on the campus of Rice University. Constructed in 2000, Reckling Park is home to a perennial power, the Rice Owls baseball team. With a grand majority of chairback seats throughout the seating areas and grass berm in the outfield, the park provides a high level of comfort to fans as they cheer on the Owls to yet another berth into the Division I college baseball postseason.

#20 Arizona Wildcats, Hi-Corbett Field

After winning the national championship in 2012, U of A really put in a lot of work to make Hi Corbett look and feel more like the home of the Wildcats instead of just another spring training facility. The walls are painted blue, with a red stripe as the homerun line. The newly painted wall also came with newly painted National Championship "banners" that are actually painted on the wall in left-center field, and the honored numbers being painted on the wall in right field. In addition, there is a huge reminder of the program's rich history in right-center with the amount of tournament appearances (38), CWS appearances (17) and National Championships (5).

#21 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns, M.L. 'Tigue' Moore Field

Located on the campus of the University of Louisiana ? Lafayette, M.L. ?Tigue? Moore Field has served as homefield to the Ragin? Cajuns baseball team since 1978. The ballpark features a newly installed synthetic turf system, a seating capacity of 3,755, and 71 foot scoreboard featuring video replay and graphics. If you consider yourself a college baseball fan, a visit to The Tigue in south Louisiana needs to be on your bucket list.

#22 Auburn Tigers, Plainsman Park

Plainsman Park has undergone several renovations since its opening, with the largest occurring 15 years ago to incorporate features of several famous major league stadiums. The most obvious of these is Auburn's version of Fenway Park's "Green Monster" in left field. Features of Wrigley Field and Camden Yards were also incorporated into the design. The fences are asymmetrical, with left field being only 315 feet from home plate but jutting out to 385 feet in left center and swinging all the way to right center, where it shortens to 361 feet and then 331 feet down the right field line. Even the fence heights vary, with the aforementioned left field wall towering at 30 feet, sloping to 8 feet around to right center, where the wall is only 4 feet in front of the bullpen - then rising to 8 feet down the right field foul line. In 2010, padding was added to the outfield walls which formed the Auburn Wall of Fame, featuring images of four of the greatest players in the program's history - Bo Jackson, Frank Thomas, Tim Hudson and Gregg Olson.

#23 Tennessee Volunteers, Lindsey Nelson Stadium

The patio seating in the outfield is a unique thing to see. There are several picnic tables that are equipped with umbrellas and a grill. These areas require a reservation, but you get up to 15 tickets with your reservation, if you have a large group of people attending the game with you. You can't go to a Vols sporting even without hearing "Rocky Top", and a small portion of it plays after every run that is scored by the Vols. This seems to really get the fans amped up.

#24 South Florida Bulls, USF Baseball Stadium

During a wild period of conference realignment, many smaller schools saw an opportunity to take a big step to relevancy. Some schools, like USF, started large-scale renovations of their athletic facilities in an attempt to move to a bigger conference. Since baseball is so popular in Florida, a baseball stadium should be one of the most important athletic facilities to this school. Overall, USF did a great job with their stadium. The atmosphere combined with the location make for a great experience.

#25 Samford Bulldogs, Joe Lee Griffin Field

The Bulldogs play their games at Joe Lee Griffin Field, which opened in 1958 but underwent major renovations (including its current name) beginning in 2000 and today serves as a testament that smaller, private schools who don'?t have big athletic budgets can still create a tremendous experience for their fans.

#26 Charlotte 49ers, Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium

Once you pass through the entrance gate, the view of the stadium opens up to display the field and many campus buildings beyond the outfield wall. Many of the school's athletic facilities are visible in the distance, including those for softball, basketball and the shared facility for soccer and track and field. These views, along with the accompanying academic buildings in the background, really give the fan a sense of location and an attractive visual interest.

#27 Long Beach State Dirtbags, Blair Field

Blair Field, constructed in 1958, offers an old school charm that is more than proud to display its storied history. As you walk along the exterior concourse, banners of former Dirtbag greats are put on display. Also on display along the 3rd base tunnel toward the stands are Sports Illustrated and ESPN the Magazine covers of former Dirtbags currently playing in the Majors, notably Troy Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria. Paying tribute to former Dirtbags turned big leaguers gives that feel for the fans that the next potential developing big league star is playing right in front of them.

#28 North Carolina Tar Heels, Boshamer Stadium

North Carolina's Boshamer Stadium may not be the newest park in the conference, it was built in 1972, ?but recent renovations and added creature comforts have transformed the facility into a building that can compete with almost any facility in the country and draw top recruits to Chapel Hill. The modern feel of this ballpark, combined with the complete inability to ignore the program's history once you are inside the gates, makes ?The Bosh? a must-see destination for fans of college baseball in the southeastern United States and beyond.

#29 Texas Tech Red Raiders, Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park

Since West Texas is known as a hotbed for high school and college football, baseball doesn’t get quite the same level of hype, but the area residents are just as passionate about the sport. Fans, alums, and students show their passion for Red Raider baseball at the beautiful Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park on the campus of Texas Tech University.

#30 USC Trojans, Dedeaux Field

As you make your way inside the wrought iron gates of Dedeaux Field you will be strolling along Mark McGwire Way through a palm tree lined walkway. More than likely it will be on a nice warm sunny day, adding to the Southern California atmosphere.

#31 Virginia Cavaliers, Davenport Field

Unlike many of the modern stadiums that overkill the ads and leave you looking for Billy Mays, the only thing Davenport Field has you focus on is baseball. There are no massive billboards and the corporate commercials are kept to a minimum. Overall, Davenport Field is a prime example of what a modern day college baseball stadium should be.

#32 Stanford Cardinal, Klein Field at Sunken Diamond

The Sunken Diamond consistently ranks as one of the most beautiful venues in college baseball. This is due in part to the trees that hug the outer rim of the venue and the mountains in the background that make this a nearly perfect place to take in a baseball game. Keep in mind that the stadium is located at one of the most picturesque universities in the nation and be sure to check out the architecture viewable from inside and outside of the ballpark.

#33 UNLV Rebels, Earl E. Wilson Stadium

Baseball fans cannot deny Earl E. Wilson Stadium as one of the best in the sport. There is probably no venue that can complete in the slightest on the "Neighborhood" category with significant points in the Access, ROI, and Extras categories.

#34 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, Les Murakami Stadium

Les Murakami Stadium is a pleasant surprise. Not only are the aesthesis of the stadium beyond expectations, the fan support puts this venue over the top. Oahu is a popular vacation spot for many sports fans, and the sun does occasionally go down, so do yourself a favor and spend a few hours with one of the best programs in college baseball.

#35 Southeastern Louisiana Lions, Pat Kenelly Diamond

Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, home to the Southeastern Louisiana Lions, is an under-the-radar college baseball mid-major gem. While other stadiums across the country might provide more modern features like wild concession items and minor league antics, “The Pat” provides a comfortable environment with the classic elements that provide a great neighborhood ballpark atmosphere.

#36 Tulane Green Wave, Greer Field at Turchin Stadium

In addition to grabbing a chairback seat in a beautiful college baseball stadium, a game at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium also brings memorable time spent in the New Orleans area. On the beautiful campus of Tulane University in the comfortable confines of the Uptown area, Audubon Park, the Audubon Zoo, the Garden District, and the St. Charles streetcar line are closely located around the university area.

#37 Arizona State Sun Devils, Phoenix Municipal Stadium

2015 was the beginning of a new era of Sun Devil baseball. Not only did ASU move from Tempe to Phoenix, but also brought in a new head coach to bring the program back to national relevance. Arizona State left behind the on-campus Packard Stadium for the bigger, brighter stage of Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Phoenix Muni is just a short little drive from the ASU campus, literally about a three minute car ride from Packard, but it feels like a completely new world.

#38 TCU Horned Frogs, Lupton Stadium

In 2015-16, Lupton Stadium again was upgraded with an $8 million construction and renovation project. This project added a new player facility on the third base line to house a new home team locker room, team lounge, sports medicine center, equipment room, team classroom, coaches' offices and an alumni locker room. The project also included the addition of a new 40' x 23' video scoreboard in left-center field and the installation of new outfield fences and a general admission grass berm beyond the right field wall.

#39 Wichita State Shockers, Eck Stadium

Baseball is a true religion in the heartland of America, and its church can be found at Eck Stadium–Home of Tyler Field on the campus of Wichita State University (WSU). Built in 1978 as Shocker Field with 322 seats (and no public bathrooms), “The Eck” has since grown into one of the top college baseball facilities in the country. It now seats nearly 8,000 fans and offers a fan experience not often found at a mid-level school. A poll of NCAA baseball coaches and sports information directors has consistently ranked the facility in the top 10 in the country based on general aesthetics, facilities, fan amenities, field playing conditions and tradition.

#40 California Golden Bears, Evans Diamond

Evans Diamond fits snug between two much larger venues. Haas Pavilion butts up against the concourse down the left field line while Edwards Stadium, home of the soccer teams, is just beyond the right field wall. Because of these bigger venues enclosing Evans Diamond, it makes for a uniquely intimate environment.

#41 Creighton Bluejays, TD Ameritrade Park

Attending a Creighton Bluejays game at TD Ameritrade Park is a fun experience. The atmosphere in no way can match that of the electricity that goes with the College World Series because there are so few fans as compared to seats. However, once you get past that fact, TD Ameritrade Park provides good food, a relaxed atmosphere and an enjoyable time. If you find yourself in Omaha, a visit is definitely worth your time.

#42 Indiana Hoosiers, Bart Kaufman Field

Bart Kaufman Field is a structure opened in 2013 to replace the outdated Sembower Field and bring Hoosier baseball into a new era. While Indiana has always been a basketball school in this basketball-crazy state, Kaufman Field is helping to raise the profile of the baseball program as it enters into a new level of competition. Kaufman is state of the art with its own indoor training facility and is constructed of Indiana’s iconic limestone, tying it in architecturally with the rest of campus. It is a new home that’s fitting for Hoosier baseball as the program fights for Big Ten titles.

#43 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Nick Denes Field

With brick wrapped around the entire outside façade of the ballpark, the Nick pays homage to what a baseball field should be. The one game that can be directly affected by the architecture of the stadium is baseball and the Nick takes this position seriously. The walls are tall, the grass is as green as envy, and the shadows fall on the field in the middle of a late afternoon game as if God Himself felt the need to put a finishing touch on the atmosphere that can’t be designed in blueprint or AutoCAD.

#44 Mercer Bears, Claude Smith Field

Claude Smith Field has been around for a very long time, and it’s not the biggest college baseball stadium in Georgia. But with the renovations the stadium went through in 2003, along with the good fan support, it’s one of the better college baseball experiences in the Southeast.

#45 North Carolina Greensboro Spartans, UNCG Baseball Stadium

UNCG Baseball Stadium is a relaxed facility, in more ways than one. There is plenty of room to stretch out, relax and enjoy the game without feeling cramped. There are also minimal intrusions from wacky sound effects and excess crowd noise. If you're looking for a nicely-maintained facility that allows you to appreciate the outdoors and the national pastime, make a note to add a UNCG game to your travel itinerary.

#46 NC State Wolfpack, Doak Field at Dail Park

Inside the stadium, there is a skyline of dorms and trees, which gives the stadium a college feel. There is a great scoreboard featuring a new video board. In addition to the video board, there is also a nine-inning scoreboard, complete with a radar gun, ball-strike-out numbers, and a second video board below to show the pitcher's lines.

#47 Miami (Fl) Hurricanes, Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field

University of Miami baseball is a program steeped in history. Having won multiple national championships and having been the home of many MLB stars before they were famous, a game at “The U” is one that many would expect to be top notch. However, disappointing seasons of the past have led to decreased excitement among the fan base (as is the case with ANY Miami-area team). Despite this, there are many things on the good side when considering a baseball game at Mark Light Field.

#48 Canisius Golden Griffins, Demske Sports Complex

Canisius has a single 14-acre, artificial turf multi-purpose facility to service its baseball, soccer, lacrosse and softball programs. The field is made of A-Turf, which is designed to increase shock absorption, decrease injuries and stand up to the heavy use by multiple sports. Because of its versatility, Demske has hosted MAAC championship tournaments for soccer, softball and lacrosse on the same field in the past few years. The complex has permanent grandstand seating for 1,000 and portable bleachers to hold an additional 200 spectators.

#49 Michigan Wolverines, Ray Fisher Stadium

The Michigan athletic department has really invested in improving its athletic facilities in the past 5-10 years, and the subtle upgrades to Ray Fisher Stadium make it a fine place to watch college baseball.

#50 Memphis Tigers, FedEx Park

Sometimes there are just too many options. As a society, by necessity, we are always looking for capsules that offer as many interesting facets as possible. If you are looking for something that sums up as much of Memphis, Tennessee as possible, look no further. FedExPark allows you to be outdoors, watch baseball, eat BBQ and root on the home town University of Memphis Tigers.

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Top 50 College Baseball Stadiums rated

not surprised..SEC near top with Coots @ #2 & CU @ #9.

Re: not surprised..SEC near top with Coots @ #2 & CU @ #9.

Love DKS***

Re: Top 50 College Baseball Stadiums rated

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