Bates College announced on May 7 that it will begin significant improvements to its Lafayette Street Field, home of the Bates softball team. The upgrades come as the program marks its 50th anniversary and follows a successful fundraising campaign that reached a $1 million milestone with support from multiple donors.
Director of Athletics Stacey Bunting said, “I’m incredibly excited about what this project represents for our softball program and for the entire department. As we celebrate 50 years of Bates softball, this project both recognizes the program’s history and invests in its future, creating a space that will support championship-level competition and enhance the daily experience for our student-athletes.”
The planned renovations include professional-grade drainage systems and installation of artificial turf, which are expected to address recurring issues such as field flooding and early-season snow that have previously forced the team to travel for practices and games. Softball Head Coach Kat McKay said, “Turfing the field gives us consistency and a true home we can take pride in. It will allow us to train as needed and compete at a high level regardless of the weather.”
Additional improvements feature upgraded fencing, enhanced safety features, reconfiguration of field layout including a new scoreboard in left field, grandstand seating, and a custom windscreen. Chris Streifel, director of capital planning and construction at Bates College, said about these changes: “It’s a much more modern, sleek, and functional look. Definitely an improvement on the current chain link fence.”
Chelsea Turner ’94—Leadership Gifts Officer at Bates who played softball during her college years—worked with donors on this project after recalling past seasons when poor weather kept her team from practicing outdoors. Lead donors Trustee Jeremy B. Chase ’91 and Christine Werthmann Chase ’92 sponsored a match challenge to help reach fundraising goals.
Work is scheduled to begin after Memorial Day with completion targeted before late August so that players can use their new facilities next season. McKay described the renovation as “transformational,” adding: “This gives our current players — and our alumni — something they’ve earned after 50 years of softball: a home field they can be proud to call theirs. This elevates everything we do and sets us up for where we want to go as a program.”
