Community leaders gathered Tuesday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony at the highly anticipated Sandhills Global Youth Complex: the new home for Nebraska Wesleyan baseball and softball.

The ceremony marks the official start of the construction of the baseball and softball complex near Oak Lake Park. Nebraska Wesleyan University President Darrin Good said during his remarks, "This new home for Prairie Wolves baseball and softball will match the excellence that we exude in our academics and in our campus life—including our fantastic athletic programs."

Nebraska Wesleyan's championship stadiums will have covered seating, batting cages, lights, artificial turf fields and will be used exclusively by NWU during the spring baseball and softball seasons beginning Spring 2025. Sandhills Global Youth Complex will have eight turfed baseball/softball fields in total. The project also includes 750 parking stalls and overflow parking to accommodate visitors. 

A short program was followed by the groundbreaking ceremony. Notable speakers at the ceremony included Darin Erstad, former professional baseball player, Leirion Gaylor Baird, mayor of Lincoln, and Darrin Good, president of Nebraska Wesleyan University. 

As part of the project, NWU baseball and softball teams will partner with local community organizations to provide programming that will introduce baseball and softball to youth who have not had exposure or access to the sport.

"Service is a core part of our ethos at Nebraska Wesleyan—it’s in our DNA," said Good. "So, we can’t wait to teach fundamental skills and build an athletic pathway for youth. Just like we create impactful experiences for our students at Nebraska Wesleyan, we will create impactful experiences for local youth that go beyond the ball game and instill skills that will serve them for a lifetime."

"I’m happy to share that we’re beginning these connections now," Good continued. "We’re not waiting for bricks and mortar or the fencing and turf to be installed. We are exploring community partnerships that will take our student-athletes to various youth facilities in Lincoln to offer clinics and instruction. Once Sandhills Global Youth Complex is complete, we will continue the program right here and introduce baseball and softball to youth who do not have access to these experiences."

Nebraska Wesleyan University is grateful to the numerous donors and corporations who have contributed thus far to the project. If you are interested in learning more about the project or how you can get involved, visit our information webpage.