THE FLATS – In honor of his contributions to help fund the renovation of Georgia Tech’s baseball facilities, the complex that encompasses the home of Tech baseball has been renamed Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved the action on Tuesday.
Mac Nease Baseball Park is comprised of Russ Chandler Stadium and all of its accompanying facilities, including Champions Hall, the centerpiece of Phase II of Georgia Tech baseball’s facility renovations. Nease, a Tech baseball letterwinner and 1965 alumnus, and his wife, Brenda, have directed significant philanthropy towards both phases of renovations over the past several years that will provide GT with facilities that stand among the finest in all of college baseball.
“I am so grateful to Mac and Brenda for their longtime support of Georgia Tech athletics and Tech baseball,” Georgia Tech director of athletics Todd Stansbury said. “Their transformative contributions to Phase I and Phase II renovations of our baseball facilities give our coaches the ability to recruit and develop student-athletes to compete at the highest levels of college baseball.”
Phase II of renovations began in earnest last summer and is headlined by Champions Hall, which will serve as a heritage area to highlight Georgia Tech baseball’s renowned history of team and individual success. Champions Hall includes the Mark Teixeira Skyline Terrace, a premium seating area that will provide one of the best vantage points in all of Atlanta sports, with spectacular views of the playing field, Tech’s campus and the Midtown skyline.
Other Phase II renovations include a new state-of-the-art videoboard that was installed prior to the 2019 season, new restroom and concessions facilities for fans and a cutting-edge, climate-controlled training facility for year-round use by GT student-athletes, as well as alums in Major League Baseball when they return to Atlanta in the offseason.
Highlighted by the construction of the Teixeira Locker Room, Phase I of renovations was completed in 2015. In addition to the Teixeira Locker Room, Phase I included an overhaul of the Yellow Jackets’ players’ lounge, study area, athletic training room and coaches’ locker room.
In all, the Neases funded a significant portion of the $13.5 million needed for Phase I and II of the renovations.
“[Tech’s] baseball coaches are great role models and the team performs well, on the field and off,” Nease said. “It feels good to support that.”
“Mac Nease is a bright shining light for our baseball program,” Tech baseball head coach Danny Hall said. “His giving and commitment to all things Georgia Tech have been an inspiration for all. Mac led the way for Tech alumni to contribute to Phase I renovations and once again stepped up to the plate on Phase II, helping us make our facilities elite for both player development and fan experience. His giving will leave a lasting legacy and we are all blessed by his generosity and passion for Georgia Tech baseball!”
Nease is one of many Tech baseball letterwinners that have contributed to the overhaul of the Yellow Jackets’ baseball facilities. Other letterwinners that have been prominently involved in the projects include Teixeira, Matt Wieters and Charlie Blackmon.
Georgia Tech baseball opens the 2021 season at the newly renovated Mac Nease Baseball Park on Friday, Feb. 19 when it hosts Eastern Kentucky. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
For Georgia Tech baseball’s entire 2021 schedule, as well as ticket information and Covid-19 safety guidelines and protocols, click HERE.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and the Support The Swarm Fund, created to give fans an opportunity to help Georgia Tech athletics maintain its recent momentum through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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