Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium
Schoonover Fast Facts
Opened: 2005
Capacity: 500
Named For: Olga Mural, Philanthropist
Harold A. (Hal) ’49 and Julie Schoonover, Philanthropists
Home of: Baseball
Address: 1544 Campus Center Drive, Kent OH 44242
*No pets, with the exception of service animals, are permitted at Schoonover Stadium
Directions to Schoonover Stadium
Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium continues to be upgraded into one of the finest college baseball facilities in the Midwest.
On May 21, 2005, Kent State baseball began a new era with the official grand opening of Schoonover Stadium.The location remained the same, but everything else from the surrounding stands to the FieldTurf the players run on, began to change in 2005.
The home of the Golden Flashes, built on the site of the previous varsity baseball field (Gene Michael Field), is named in honor of Harold A. (Hal) ’49 and Julie Schoonover of Akron, avid supporters of Kent State for more than 50 years.
The lead gift for the project of of $1.53 million was made by Mr. Steve Schoonover and The Schoonover Foundation of Minden, La.; Mr. Rick Schoonover of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.; and Mrs. Sheri Schoonover Merrow of Uniontown, Ohio on Nov. 25, 2003. The gift and naming of the stadium are in honor of their parents. With the passing of Hal in January of 2008, all memorials given will be donated to the stadium in his honor.
In Phase One, major improvements were made to the playing field itself, including new bullpens, backstop and outfield fencing, an underground drainage system, an improved public address system, new heated dugouts with restroom facilities for home and visiting teams and a state-of-the-art artificial FieldTurf surface.
Akron philanthropist Olga Mural made a $1 million commitment in 2006 for the renovation of baseball facilities and to provide scholarships for student-athletes. Trustees approved the naming of Olga A. Mural Field in recognition of Mural, who has provided more than $4 million for scholarships and academic and athletic programs at Kent State.
With Mural’s contribution a new structure was built in the offseason of 2007 behind the KSU dugout. Locker rooms, a player’s lounge, restrooms and a concession stand are among the many features of the new building. Placards and tribute design has been added to the main lobby area of the clubhouse, paying homage to KSU title teams and stars of the past.
Chairback seating was also installed in front of the bleachers. In addition, $250,000 of Mural’s gift was used to endow scholarships for student-athletes competing in baseball.
For the 2008 season, a new scoreboard featuring a retro analog clock atop architectural framework - a nod to Kent State’s nationally renowned architectural programs - was added. Most recently, the addition of lights for the 2013 season made night baseball possible for the first time in Kent State baseball history. A new parking lot and rededicated Rollins Way was added for the 2014 season. In the fall of 2014, the David and Peggy Edmonds Baseball and Softball Practice Facility was opened, located beyond the left field wall.
Most recently, a brand new Shaw Sports Turf playing surface was installed for the 2015 season.
