California Baptist University held a grand opening on Sept. 4 for the new softball and baseball clubhouse, which will now house both teams’ locker rooms and offices for the upcoming season.
After a year of construction, the newest addition to CBU Athletics has been unveiled. The clubhouse provides space for both teams to prepare for practices and games, meet with coaches and bond as a team.
Thanks to the donors, the 14,411-square-foot building includes locker rooms with 30 lockers for each team, offices for the five coaches of each program and second-story balconies overlooking each field.
According to an article by Daniel Cook, director of athletics communications for Lancer Athletics, “the clubhouse also features a lobby with an interactive database of the two programs’ rosters, statistics and biographies spanning back to 2002.”
The lobby’s interactive features are placed in front of a rain wall that prominently displays championship trophies.
Overall, the new clubhouse provides athletes a place to gather and grow as a team during their time at CBU. For the softball team in particular, the new space has fostered a greater sense of community.
“Our locker room was just a colony apartment, so between 28 girls, it’s a lot to be in one small apartment,” said Priscilla Estrada, senior finance major and team leader on the softball team. “It was definitely a breath of fresh air. It was super nice to just be able to walk in and see our new home for the rest of the year.”
The new clubhouse gives the team a comfortable place to get ready for practices and games, spend time together, study and strengthen their relationships.
“Our coaches stress it so much: win in the locker room, and you’re going to win on the field. It’s the most true thing he says,” said Morgan McConnell, senior business administration major and pitcher. “We have so much fun on the softball field because we create that bond in the preseason.”
The new clubhouse has also served as a source of motivation for the CBU softball team.
“It does motivate us, especially walking in and seeing all the trophies the alumni have set a path for us. It motivates us as a team to want to put up one of our own trophies at the Division I level,” McConnell said.
As seniors, McConnell and Estrada have built a strong bond with each other, their teammates and alumni from previous years. Their excitement to enter their final season with a brand-new building dedicated to their team’s success has fueled their drive for the upcoming season.
“It’s not even like we’re teammates—me and Morgan are like sisters. We’re always there for each other,” Estrada said. “Seeing those alumni awards on the walls makes me proud to be part of CBU softball, and I know it motivates a lot of the girls to aim for a championship this year.”
The new clubhouse has not only fostered stronger relationships within the team but also given the CBU softball players a space to honor Christ through their sportsmanship. As team leaders, Estrada and McConnell strive to set an example for their younger teammates.
“We make sure they know it’s not just about playing Division I softball. You get to glorify God at the same time,” McConnell said. “It’s something we emphasize—appreciating the campus you’re on.”
For the CBU softball team, the new clubhouse is more than just a building with trophies and locker rooms.
“Our locker room is like a gift from God. He’s giving us the tools and access to be great for Him so we can glorify Him,” Estrada said. “We see it as an awesome opportunity to grow CBU softball and use that to glorify God.”
The grand opening of the softball and baseball clubhouse, while designed for athletics, provides student-athletes a space to build relationships with each other and with Christ.
