Cal Softball: A New Levine-Fricke is Coming to Strawberry Canyon

1,370 Views | 19 Replies | Last: 4 days ago by 59bear
CalFanatic
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https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-softball-a-new-levine-fricke-field?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=28585&post_id=150851586&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=20xde2&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

The project is supposed to be complete by the Spring of 2026, so the recently signed 2025 Class will be the first Freshman class to experience the new home for Cal Softball in Berkeley. Head Coach Chelsea Spencer announced that Cal signed four incoming freshmen as part of her fifth recruiting class with the Golden Bears. Incoming Bears include Jade Diaz from Placentia, Sophie Everett from San Rafael, Nina Peyton-Johnson from Van Nuys, and Mya McGowan from Poway- all reflecting the common trend between Cal Softball and Cal Baseball, where both teams have kept recruiting limited to the Golden State and nowhere else. More on that soon.
SFCALBear72
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Finally!!

Lots of hurdles to overcome but the end result will be well worth the wait!
Another recruiting tool, Coach Spencer!!

Go Bears!!
CalFanatic
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Long overdue. So happy for the program!
Chabbear
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Lots of campus money and financing. Wonder where they get it?

"Levine-Fricke were approved at $57.95 million. $24,883,000 to be funded from campus funds, gift funds at $3,577,000, and external financing supported by campus funds at $29.49 million."
SFCALBear72
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Those "gift funds" must have accrued some interest by now with all of the waiting involved.
CalWSportsFan
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Finally. As I've noted here on earlier threads, I spoke with a wealthy donor years ago who given a 7 figure donation for upgrades to the field and that money was promptly directed to the football stadium instead. Glad to see this long overdue project pass the various hurdles and seemingly become a reality for players and fans.
59bear
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CalFanatic said:

Long overdue. So happy for the program!
Only 20 years or so.
CalFanatic
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59bear said:

CalFanatic said:

Long overdue. So happy for the program!
Only 20 years or so.


No kidding. It's a crime this didn't happen as soon as Chelsea's class made it to 3 straight finals!

I hope Ninemire throws out first pitch in the new stadium. She fought for years for this.


Shocky1
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the wildly overpriced $59,000,000+ is just part of the evil as **** jennifer simon-o'neil's failed berkeley bureaucrat legacy (characterized by her anti football & basketball revenue sports agenda) along with enabling mckeever to abuse student athletes & near zero fanbases for all the women's sports including the women's basketball team which plays in a near empty haas
coachdeke
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I hope the press box and the color of seats are different in reality. The press box looks very odd while the seats are not any blue that I've seen at Cal. Can't wait till it's finished. $60 million?! That's crazy.
coachdeke
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CalWSportsFan said:

Finally. As I've noted here on earlier threads, I spoke with a wealthy donor years ago who given a 7 figure donation for upgrades to the field and that money was promptly directed to the football stadium instead. Glad to see this long overdue project pass the various hurdles and seemingly become a reality for players and fans.


That's interesting-Usually, it's the other way around
LodeBear
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yea finally after all these years. now they will be able to host regional and higher playoff games. crazy for a high division 1 school to not even have a minimal eligible stadium Go Chelsea Go Bears!!!
wvitbear
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Posted on another thread but I kind of like the old place. Beautiful setting and lots of close seats. and what about parking.

What if the attendance does not increase?
coachdeke
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You might get a blip increase the first year, but it's extremely difficult to get to and they'll have to win big for attendance to increase at all.
CalWSportsFan
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Parking in the lot below Maxwell Field isn't bad, but softball (and Cal Athletics) should provide clear instructions for fans..... With any emails sent out, promotional material etc....add a blurb about parking. It's not rocket science it just takes communication.
CalWSportsFan
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wvitbear said:

Posted on another thread but I kind of like the old place. Beautiful setting and lots of close seats. and what about parking.

What if the attendance does not increase?
It remains in a beautiful setting...I think overall it will be more comfortable and how can we compete for recruits, etc if we can't host tourney games? I recall attendance was good when the team was at the top of the Pac12...Val Arioto, Henderson and co.
Larno
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CalFanatic said:

https://writeforcalifornia.com/p/cal-softball-a-new-levine-fricke-field?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=28585&post_id=150851586&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=20xde2&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

The project is supposed to be complete by the Spring of 2026, so the recently signed 2025 Class will be the first Freshman class to experience the new home for Cal Softball in Berkeley. Head Coach Chelsea Spencer announced that Cal signed four incoming freshmen as part of her fifth recruiting class with the Golden Bears. Incoming Bears include Jade Diaz from Placentia, Sophie Everett from San Rafael, Nina Peyton-Johnson from Van Nuys, and Mya McGowan from Poway- all reflecting the common trend between Cal Softball and Cal Baseball, where both teams have kept recruiting limited to the Golden State and nowhere else. More on that soon.
California has the best overall high school softball and baseball in the country so there are plenty of players to go around. The trick for softball, particularly, is keeping those players in the state. A number of good ones go to the big money schools in other parts of the country. Look at Oklahoma; half of their roster is from California.
CalFanatic
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CalWSportsFan said:

wvitbear said:

Posted on another thread but I kind of like the old place. Beautiful setting and lots of close seats. and what about parking.

What if the attendance does not increase?
It remains in a beautiful setting...I think overall it will be more comfortable and how can we compete for recruits, etc if we can't host tourney games? I recall attendance was good when the time was at the top of the Pac12...Val Arioto, Henderson and co.


We sold out plenty of games in 2012 when we were #1. I should know, I went to virtually all of them!
eastcoastcal
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Can anyone give a breakdown of how competitive the ACC is, relative to what we were up against in the PAC? I started getting into Cal Softball last year, and it's a really fun squad. Are we poised for another tournament berth?
59bear
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eastcoastcal said:

Can anyone give a breakdown of how competitive the ACC is, relative to what we were up against in the PAC? I started getting into Cal Softball last year, and it's a really fun squad. Are we poised for another tournament berth?
The top of the ACC (FSU, VaTech, Duke, Clemson) in the past decade has been pretty comparable to the best in the PAC in that same period The Seminoles have been a national power for quite a while, won it all in 2018 and finished second in '21 and '23. Clemson is a relatively new program built by former Cal assistant John Rittman and nationally relevant from day 1. Duke, likewise has made great strides in the last 5 years or so. VaTech is a perennial in national rankings. Notre Dame usually puts a competitive team on the field as well. There may be a deeper bottom in the ACC than in the PAC but the top will be challenging.
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