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Field of Dreams

When the teams from the University of South Carolina, UNC Charlotte and James Madison show up this weekend, we think they'll say that this is the best playing surface they've seen all season.

Ray Brincefield, assistant athletics director for outdoor facilities at NC State

NCAA Inside
Members of the NC State outdoor facilities staff put the final touches on Doak Field at Dail Park before NCAA regional play begins Friday afternoon.

By Dave Pond, Web Communication 

When the first pitch of 2008 NCAA regional play was thrown on May 30, all eyes were on the rich red clay and close-cropped grass of NC State's immaculate Doak Field at Dail Park.

More than 2,500 baseball fans were lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, nestled into the Wolfpack-red seats surrounding the infield while happily munching on hot dogs and popcorn from the stadium's concession area.

Ray Brincefield, assistant athletics director for outdoor facilities at NC State, wouldn't have it any other way. Less than five years ago, he helped guide more than $7 million worth of renovations that have helped to make Doak Field one of the finest collegiate ballparks in the nation.

Members of the NCAA selection committees have taken note as well, and on May 25, Doak was tabbed as one of 16 host sites for opening-round NCAA baseball play. And even though Elliott Avent's Wolfpack squad (38-20) put together another stellar season on the diamond, it wasn't a forgone conclusion that NC State would be selected to host its first regional in Raleigh.

"In the past – the way the drainage was – the playing field was on a slant, with a big drop-off toward right field," Brincefield said. "Members of the selection committee thought it would put teams who had not played here before at a real disadvantage, so the first thing we did was to literally level the playing field."

With stadium renovations exceeding $30 million at some universities, Brincefield said it was important for NC State to be able to achieve all of its desired upgrades while maintaining a sense of fiscal responsibility. So, when the baseball field was overhauled, NC State also completed construction on the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center (located adjacent to Doak Field) and plans to use portions of the facility for additional locker room and media areas during baseball play this weekend.

"The main thing we hear from the teams in our conference and those across the country is that they simply cannot believe all we got for what we spent," he said. "Basically what we gave our kids, fans and coaches is what everyone else is getting at other schools – we just got a lot more bang for our buck.

"I think that tells a lot about our staff, athletic director Lee Fowler, our administration and the university as a whole, that we were able to get what we want and still keep the number reasonable."

"When the teams from the University of South Carolina, UNC Charlotte and James Madison show up this weekend, we think they'll say that this is the best playing surface they've seen all season," Brincefield said. "I give all the credit to our staff of turf managers.

"At NC State, we take a lot of pride in being a great turfgrass management school and having a great turfgrass staff in athletics, and there are none better."

Senior turfgrass science major Kane Daniels began a paid summer internship earlier this week as a member of NC State's on-campus turfgrass staff. A former high-school baseball player, Daniels had worked in landscaping for the last few summers to gain his beyond-the-textbook experience, but wanted to toil where his heart lies – on the baseball diamond.

"I never got to see the field before all of the renovations, but this looks really beautiful," he said. "I'd much rather be around baseball than anything else – this beats landscaping ten-fold.

"I think NC State has the best turfgrass program in the nation, and even though I used to play baseball, I'd be totally lost out here if I didn't have the education I've received so far."

When fans pour into Doak Field on Friday, it will seem as if the facility just opened – the park is tidy, the field is green and everything else is state-of-the-art. Anything that needs to be changed, maintained or repaired is taken care of promptly – a philosophy that has served Brincefield well during his 19 years at NC State.

"A lot of places, the mindset is 'build it, and it's done,'" he said. "When we build something at NC State, we're just beginning the process, and want to keep everything clean, new and running smoothly – sort of a mechanical mindset.

“Our players and coaches have done an outstanding job of getting to the point where they are successful enough to host an NCAA regional, and we're proud to have the facilities to warrant the selection as well."

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