Solid Colonial defense kept the Matadors off the bases. Matt Cosentino flags down Paks fly ball. Photo by David Cohen
The George Washington University Department of Athletics and Recreation is proud to announce a $2 Million anonymous gift that was recently bestowed to the program to support the construction of a clubhouse at Tucker Field in Arlington, VA for baseball student-athletes.
“This gift will have a significant impact on our baseball student-athletes and coaches,” Director of Athletics and Recreation Patrick Nero said. “This donation allows us to move forward on a project that provides the necessary resources for our baseball program to be successful. The continued generous support of our alumni and friends is critical to maintain the positive momentum of our athletics department. We are extremely grateful to this donor and all those who continue to support our students.”
$500,000 of a $1 Million gift from Ave Tucker (B.B.A. ’77, member of the GW Board of Trustees and former GW baseball student-athlete) to GW Athletics was previously slated for the clubhouse project last year, and the program is now approaching the necessary funding before construction can begin.
“Ave’s dedication to his alma mater fostered a renewed spirit of philanthropy among our baseball family,” said Head Coach Gregg Ritchie. “We feel as though what our student-athletes have been able to accomplish to this point is remarkable when benchmarked against our competition, but to get our program to the next level of the nation’s elite teams, this clubhouse project is paramount. It will provide all of the necessary amenities to allow us to be able to recruit, retain and train the best and brightest student-athletes to learn, compete and grow as men at GW. We’re beyond thankful for this enormous show of generosity and faith in what we’re trying to achieve.”
“The clubhouse will give GW student-athletes on-site locker facilities, indoor practice space with batting cages and pitching tunnels, meeting rooms and a sports medicine area that will enable the program to take the next step into the top tier of collegiate baseball,” said Tucker. “This will truly be a place where our Colonials can thrive and Coach Ritchie and his staff can demonstrate to prospective players that ours is a program with the tools and resources necessary to thrive.”
Tucker Field at Barcroft Park was dedicated on Oct. 18, 2014. The park has been the home of GW baseball since the team relocated off The Ellipse in 1993. Barcroft Park underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 2012 to install a new press box, concession area, dugouts, bullpens and stadium seating, with an accompanying clubhouse being the last piece to put the facility among the nation’s best.
