BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell has completed renovations to the Willard B. Harris Training Center, the Camel baseball program’s indoor training facility.
The Harris Training Center, named for the 2004 Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame member, was dedicated in 1996.
“First, we want to extend our thanks to Mr. Willard Harris, who first made it possible to put this building up almost 20 years ago,” said head coach Justin Haire. “We also want to thank everyone that has had a hand in giving to this program over the last seven years. This is a project that was made possible by the dozens of monetary gifts to our Diamond Club members and friends of the program.”
The internal portion of the facility, located beyond the leftfield wall at Jim Perry Stadium, has been almost entirely refinished from the floor up, featuring new turf, interior walls and baseball equipment. New adjustable netting has been installed, along with three adjustable lanes for hitting and pitching.
“This was an important and necessary addition to our program because it improves the efficiency of our training, giving our student-athletes a place they can be very proud of and take ownership in. From a recruiting standpoint, there aren’t many places that have a nicer, better designed indoor facility than what we have now.”
Inspired by the Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training Camp in Vero Beach, Florida, Campbell University’s Willard B. Harris Baseball Training Center provides space and equipment for the Camels in a heated indoor facility, offering a site for pre-season training during cooler weather, regular practice when inclement weather occurs, or an alternate area to give the team more area for individual instruction.
A native of Warrenton, N.C. and resident of Martinsville, Va., Willard B. Harris is a longtime benefactor of Campbell University. After graduating from John Graham High School in Warrenton, Harris enrolled in college on a baseball scholarship, but a draft notice and subsequent arm injury ended his playing career. He enrolled at Campbell and was a quarterback on its 1948 conference champion football team.
Campbell finished the 2014 season with a 41-21 overall record, tying for the second-most wins in school history. The Camels claimed the Big South Tournament Championship in Rock Hill, S.C., earning the school’s second NCAA Regional berth.
In the Columbia Regional, No. 4 seed CU picked up its first-ever NCAA Regional win, knocking off third-seeded Old Dominion 4-1 in 12 innings.
Campbell has won 131 games over the last three years, and is one of just eight programs nationally with three consecutive 40-plus win seasons.
