Widely considered one of the finest athletic facilities in the Southland Conference, Don Sanders Stadium will celebrate its 10th season as the home of Sam Houston State baseball in 2015.
Opened February 11, 2006, with a 16-3 victory over Texas Southern, the stadium has seen the Kats post a combined 178-98 record in nine seasons. It was also the site of the 2008 Southland Conference post-season tournament, which saw SHSU go 4-0 to win the title and advance to the NCAA Regionals for the second consecutive season.
The opening of the $5.5 million facility that includes spacious dressing areas, indoor hitting cages, and coaches' offices, has coincided with the greatest period in Sam Houston's baseball history, appearing in six NCAA Regionals in the last eight seasons.
“There is no doubt that the opening of Don Sanders Stadium elevated our baseball program to a level it had never been before,” Athletic Director Bobby Williams said. “I don't think it's a coincidence that this program has enjoyed the success it has over the same time period.”
In all, Sam Houston has clinched four championships on the field at Don Sanders Stadium. In addition to the 2008 tournament title, the Bearkats have dogpiled at home to celebrate each of the past three consecutive Southland regular-season championships.
“The Don,” as it is affectionately referred to, has hosted the likes of Baylor, Houston, Nebraska, Michigan, Rice, San Diego, Texas A&M and this year will bring in the seven-time College World Series participant Wichita State.
Last season the facility saw the addition of a new $300,000 video board, made possible by the generosity of Sam Houston alums Bud Haney and Don Sanders. The board measures 32 feet tall by 36 feet wide and features a 20mm high-definition LED video display.
Don Sanders Stadium has undergone other minor upgrades over the years, enhancing it even further. Padding to the outfield wall was added in 2013 while the four-foot fences that line the foul territory were padded a year later. This fall the infield was laser leveled and filled with new dirt and conditioner, improving the playing surface. Before the 2009 season, the dugouts were given a big-league look, with the addition of railings and professional style benches.
“This spectacular stadium is part of what drew me to Sam Houston State,” head baseball coach Matt Deggs said. “They've played outstanding here since it was built and it's a big advantage for us to be able to play here. It's also a major advantage for us in recruiting, not only because it's one of the nicest mid-major stadiums in the nation but one of the nicest ballparks in this state. We have great facilities, great support and a great location so we've got all three ingredients that it takes to win.”
Some of the school's best players have called Don Sanders Stadium their home, including four All-Americans; Luke Prihoda (2007), Bobby Verbick (2007), Todd Sebek (2008) and Nick Zaleski (2009); and a freshman All-American, Sam Odom (2014). Thirty nine of the school's 83 All-Southland honorees, including the school's first Southland Player of the Year Anthony Azar (2014), played at The Don.
The stadium officially seats just under 1,200 but a record 2,032 fans turned out for a game against Texas A&M in 2012. There have been a few marathon games played at Don Sanders Stadium, but none longer than in 2010 when SHSU beat Northern Colorado 4-3 in 15 innings. The longest game by time was a 12-inning, 4-3 win over A&M-Corpus Christi played in 4:01.
The stadium is named to honor Houston entrepreneur and philanthropist Don Sanders who donated $1 million to establish an endowment fund to enhance the baseball program at Sam Houston State University, Sanders' alma mater.
Sanders is founder and chairman of the investment firm Sanders Morris Harris. He is a former owner of the Houston Sports Association and the Houston Astros Baseball Club and currently, along with Nolan Ryan, is co-owner of Ryan-Sanders Baseball. Ryan-Sanders Baseball owns the Texas Rangers' Class AAA Round Rock Express and the Astros' Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks.
