Central Facility Spotlight: Wendell Simmons Field

Baseball Program Is School's Oldest Sport

The University of Central Oklahoma athletic department is home to some of the finest facilities in the country. Over the past five years, construction projects have taken place that physically transformed the face of the campus. We're taking a closer look at each of those facilities each Wednesday over the next several weeks. Up first, Wendell Simmons Field.

Wendell Simmons Field, as it was renamed after the longtime head coach in 2010, is home to the UCO baseball program and has been since 1965.

Central baseball has in recent years seen a tremendous amount of improvement done to the ballpark in a piece-by-piece fashion. A new bunting area, batting cages, and bullpen were done during the 2017 season and new turf and a new fence were both installed following that campaign.

In 2019 and into January 2020, a new clubhouse was built with a sprawling locker room, coaches offices, training area, as well as public restrooms and a concession stand.

Central baseballers also have an indoor facility just past right field. The Bronchos utilize the more than 4,500 square feet of space for batting practice, as well as pitching. The indoor facility has six separate bays for hitting that can each be rolled back to create one large open space.

The field itself is 330 feet down the right field line, 340 field down the left field line, and 390 feet to center field.

Under Simmons, Central won 363 games at home. Current head baseball coach John Martin has 76 home victories in five seasons.

Central Oklahoma's baseball program, which was the first ever team to play at Central back in 1896, has won nearly 700 games just since 2000. The Bronchos have made 10 national tournament appearances since moving to NCAA Division II in 1990. That includes the 1997 season when Central went to the national championship and finished national runners-up.

Print Friendly Version