The Diamond Times



History of a Girls Best Friend… The Diamond

Bulldog Diamond -- Home of Fresno State Softball

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The history goes further than anyone can remember. With well over a decade of national excellence that includes a NCAA Softball Championship title in 1998, 12 trips to the NCAA Women's College World Series, 23 consecutive NCAA regional appearances, and 19 conference championship titles, Fresno State softball has set a precedent on the collegiate ranks. We have earned the respects of many people.

Fresno State softball garnered a new home in 1996. A beautiful stadium, which goes by the name Bulldog Diamond.

Regarded as one of the finest in the country, the Bulldogs play in a stadium like no other on the collegiate ranks as the facility boasts a seating capacity of 5,767 and a home field record of 250-46 (.845) since 1996.

The $3.2 million softball stadium features 1,688 permanent seat-back chairs that include 388 box seats, sunken dugouts, lights, concessions stands, restrooms, practice areas, enclosed batting cages, press box with 24 telephone lines as well as a contemporary scoreboard and message center. Completely fenced in, Bulldog Diamond is 205 feet down the lines and 220 feet to center field. I have been to many stadiums and it is rare if any can compare to this one.

Bulldog Softball, home to the country's largest fan following since 1987 which has totaled an outstanding winning percentage of .743 (1,231-425-1), has hosted 18 of the 23 NCAA regional championships since 1982.

With the NCAA officially keeping total and average attendance marks since 1991, Fresno State has led the country in average attendance in 12 of the last 14 seasons while being tops in the nation in total attendance in 10 of the last 14 seasons. The reward has been an astonishing 621-139-1 (.817) overall home field record.

After setting Top 25 single-date records at Bulldog Diamond for nine straight years, Fresno State has drawn more than 350,000 (358,938) while averaging more than 2,100 (2,149) per home date (167).

Fresno State owns three of the top 10 NCAA all-time largest softball crowds, including most in a single-date with 5,724 versus Arizona (March 14, 2000) and 5,427 versus UCLA (February 24, 1996). The Bulldogs have set the NCAA single-date regular season record five times while averaging at least 1,000 fans per single-date in a single-season 14 of the last 15 years.

"We have built something that is a testament to our commitment toward women and girls in the sport," said head coach Margie Wright, who is the NCAA's all-time winningest softball coach and the first NCAA Division I softball coach to ever post 1,000 and 1,100 Division I wins. "The university has honored its former players while welcoming generations to come with this premier softball stadium."

With a history of demanding nothing short of excellence, Fresno State has rewarded its loyal fans with nine USA Softball Olympians, one Puerto Rico Softball Olympian, one Greece Softball Olympian, 51 All-Americans, 16 Academic All-Americans, 87 all-region and 134 all-conference picks.

Bulldog Diamond is a sight to see. If you plan on stopping in Fresno, CA I would reccomed stopping here.

Famous Bulldogs: In the Pros and the Olympics

There are numerous Bulldogs in the Professional Softball Organization. There are seven girls who are representing Fresno State in true Bulldog fashion. There were even a couple who led their team to become NPF champions.

The seven ladies in the NPF are Laura Berg, Randi Berg, Nina Lindenberg, Kim Maher, Amanda Scott, Julie Smith, and Jamie Southern. Amanda, Randi, Kim, and Nina were all part of championship teams, while Julie Smith and Randi Berg were both Defensive Players of the Year.

These women represent Fresno State to the fullest, and some also represent the country in the Olympics.

Fresno State softball has been well represented in the first three Summer Olympic games (2004 in Athens, 2000 in Sydney and 1996 in Atlanta) in the sport of softball with 13 Olympians who were players and head coach Margie Wright, who served as an assistant coach.

In 2004, the USA Women's National Team displayed total dominance en route to its third and unprecedented Olympic gold medal in the sport of softball. Posting a perfect 9-0 record, the best mark in Olympic play, former Bulldog All-American Laura Berg captured her third straight Olympic gold medal while another former Bulldog All-American Lovie Jung, a two-year player for Fresno State, snagged her first Olympic gold. Still further, former Bulldog Vanessa Czarnecki made history for the host country by playing on the first Greek National Team.

In 2000, Fresno State again had three Bulldogs on an Olympic team as all three represented the United States of America. Berg had the game-winning hit with a one-out hit to left to lead the USA to a 2-1, 8 inning victory over Japan. As pitcher Amanda Scott and catcher Shelly Stokes served as alternates, Team USA posted a 7-3 Olympic record.

In 1996, Fresno State had seven Bulldogs represented in the inaugural year of softball as a medal sport. In the sports Olympic debut, USA captured the gold medal and six Bulldogs represented the United States (the most representatives on the USA National team by any college or university) and one Bulldog represented Team Puerto Rico.

Head coach Margie Wright, who served as the USA assistant coach responsible for the pitchers and catchers, was joined on the 1996 USA Olympic Softball Team by Berg, Kim Maher, Julie Smith, Stokes, and Martha Noffsinger-O’Kelley, while Lisa Mize pitched for the Puerto Rico National Team. Team USA captured the gold medal after recording a 3-1 win over China and going 8-1 overall in Olympic play.

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