SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah baseball team finally has a home.
On Wednesday afternoon, Colorado Rockies owner and Utah alum Charlie Monfort, as well as several individuals involved in bringing a baseball stadium to campus, took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark on Guardsman Way on campus.
It was the culmination of a project many years in the making, but one that got green lit in 2023 when the school's board of trustees approved the construction of the Utah baseball stadium. The university officially broke ground in August 2024, with the expectation to play the first season in the ballpark in 2026.
"I think what folks will start seeing when they visit this facility is how fun it is," Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said. "It's perfect for our program. I think it's going to really lift us to places that we want to be. And frankly, it's a kind of a big missing piece that we've solved. They have a home here now, and we couldn't be more excited."
For baseball head coach Gary Henderson, having a baseball stadium that also doubles as a practice facility, workout facility and lounge for the players makes it much easier for the university to show its commitment to the players who will come through the program.
"It shows the statement that baseball is important to the athletic department," Henderson said. "There's a tremendous visual that you have when you're looking out to center field. It's just a really nice statement that the athletic department makes that baseball is important at the University of Utah."
The baseball team has already been using the turf field since fall but has not be able to use any parts of the facility as workers put the final touches on the facility. And though no games have officially been played, the team already has a good sense it will be a hitter's park, with right and left field fences 340 feet back and center field's fence at 400 feet.
That center field fence is now 20 feet closer than what Utah was used to playing with while sharing Smith's Ballpark with the Salt Lake Bees for years. Henderson said the sweet spot is not over left center.
"We'll find out in time, but the first read is that ball travels pretty good to left center," Henderson said. "Pitching coaches beware."
Most importantly, though, the stadium now becomes Utah's home.
"Smiths was great to us, and having that ballpark is awesome," Utes infielder Cameron Gurney said. "But now that we have a place that we get to call our own, and we get to show up every day early in the morning and get together as a group of guys and hang out all day, and use all the tools and the resources that we have, it's truly going to elevate our game, and we're super grateful."
Though it now serves as Utah's home stadium, the athletic department hopes to make it a community fixture, where high school baseball or youth teams can play games on the field.
"I want some high school games here. I want some state championships games here," Harlan said. "We're already working to get some regular season games here, especially from high schools that are close by. And then further, get some little league games here. I want to get some travel games here."
