Swayze Field

Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field is the home of the University of Mississippi Rebels college baseball team, the 2022 NCAA National Champions, and is located in Oxford, Mississippi. It is named in honor of Tom Swayze, a former Ole Miss baseball player and coach.

Oxford-University Stadium

Swayze Field
Location	Oxford, Mississippi
Coordinates	34°21′43″N 89°31′44″W
Owner	University of Mississippi
Operator	University of Mississippi
Capacity	12,152 [1]
Record attendance	12,503 (April 23, 2022 vs. Mississippi State)[2]
Field size	Left Field: 330 ft (101 m) Alleys: 365 ft (110 m) Center Field: 390 ft (119 m) Right Field: 330 ft (101 m)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	March 27, 1988 (expanded 2003, 2009)
Construction cost	$3.75 million (Original cost)
Tenants
Ole Miss Rebels (NCAA) (1988-Present)

The $3.75 million stadium opened on February 19, 1989, with a double header sweep of Cumberland University. The actual stadium sits on city property off-campus and was built by the City of Oxford, using a 2% Local Tourism Tax on prepared food and alcohol to pay for it.

Features

Right field terrace

The hill beyond the right field wall was equipped with a seating area in 1993 that sits comfortably between the field and eight tennis courts. This has historically been a section for students. Since the 2000 season the area has undergone many improvements. What began as a gathering place for about 100 students has grown into an area of about 1,000 students per game during conference season. This area however is not counted as part of the stadium.

Right field traditions

1.) One of the main right field traditions involves the players themselves. After warmups are completed, each inning the outfielders throw the baseball into the right field student section where students write messages on them and then throw the ball back to the outfielders for warm ups the next inning.
2.) The beer shower: Upon an Ole Miss home run or walk off win, the student section jumps to their feet and throws their beverage into the air.

Left field terrace

For many years there was nothing but trees and a parking lot beyond the left field wall. In 2006, the left field area, known as Oakes Pavilion, was renovated with a new scoreboard equipped with a large video board and the seating areas were upgraded with grills, picnic tables, and a play area for children. The left field area can hold around 1,000 fans and has become one of the more popular areas of the field.^[3] It is mainly reserved for the families and non-students.

Stadium amenities

Below the stands are coach's offices, locker rooms, player's lounge, press area, and a workout area for the pitchers. Along the first base line is a 6,800-square-foot (630 m²) hitting complex. In 2006 a large video board was added that supplies fans with replays during the game.

Expansion

In April 2007, Ole Miss announced that their baseball stadium would undergo an $18.5 million expansion. The expansion was mostly completed in time for the 2009 baseball season. The expansion resulted in an increase of the overall number of seats to just over 6,000 and a total capacity exceeding 8,500.^[4][5][6][7] The architect for both the original facility and the expansion was Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons. On June 6, 2009, an Ole Miss record 10,323 were present to watch the Super Regional game vs the University of Virginia (UVA won 4–3).

• 
  Swayze Field expansion construction.
• 
  Swayze Field expansion completion.

Attendance

The first Ole Miss game with more than 10,000 fans (10,323) in attendance occurred on June 6, 2009, against Virginia in Super Regional play.

On April 28, 2018, a new attendance record, 12,152, was set on Double Decker Weekend in a game against LSU, which then No.6 Ole Miss won 9–8.^[8] This record fell in 2022 during the final game of the Rebels' home series against archrival Mississippi State, when a crowd of 12,503 saw the Rebels fall 7–6 in 11 innings.

In 2013, the Rebels ranked 3rd among Division I baseball programs in attendance, averaging 7,996 per home game.^[9]

In 2015, 2016, & 2017, the Rebels ranked 2nd among Division I baseball programs in per game attendance, averaging 8,028,^[10] 8,619,^[11] & 9,238 per home game, respectively.

Stadium attendance in excess of 11,000

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Notes
April 23, 2022	Mississippi State	12,503	Lost 7-6 (11 innings)	Double Decker weekend
April 28, 2018	LSU	12,152	Won 9-8	Double Decker weekend
March 26, 2022	Tennessee	12,134	Lost 10-3
February 17, 2017	East Carolina	12,117	Won 5-4	Opening Day
April 2, 2019	North Alabama	12,081	Lost 10-6	School Day Game
April 22, 2022	Mississippi State	12,078	Lost 10-7	Double Decker weekend
April 9, 2022	Alabama	12,045	Lost 12-10 (10 innings)
April 27, 2018	LSU	11,861	Lost 5-2	Double Decker weekend
April 10, 2021	Arkansas	11,857	Won 13-6	2nd game of doubleheader
April 13, 2013	Alabama	11,729	Won 5-2	First crowd in excess of 11,000
February 19, 2022	Charleston Southern	11,621	Won 11-1
April 10, 2021	Arkansas	11,524	Lost 7-3	#2 vs #3
February 18, 2017	East Carolina	11,494	Won 3-2	All-time record set day prior
March 25, 2022	Tennessee	11,337	Lost 12-1
April 12, 2022	Murray State	11,331	Won 8-2
June 2, 2018	Saint Louis	11,304	Won 9-2	Postseason record
April 1, 2017	Mississippi State	11,204	Lost 2-1
February 18, 2022	Charleston Southern	11,146	Won 9-3	Opening Day
April 5, 2019	Florida	11,026	Won 12-4	Grove Bowl weekend
March 31, 2017	Mississippi State	11,017	Lost 5-3

See also

• List of NCAA Division I baseball venues

References

1. "Oxford-University Stadium / Swayze Field".
2. "2022 Ole Miss Baseball: Game Results" (PDF). Ole Miss Rebels. June 26, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
3. "Ole Miss Sports Official Website".
4. Unknown^{[permanent dead link‍]}
5. "University of Mississippi Newsdesk - Major Achievements During Robert Khayat's 14 Years as Chancellor". Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
6. Boyles, Donald J. (February 13, 2009). "OLE MISS BASEBALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE". Retrieved June 12, 2024.
7. "Ole Miss to expand stadium to 10,000 : In the Press : News : Cooke Douglass Farr Lemons Ltd". Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
8. "No. 5 Ole Miss Takes Series with 9-8 Win over LSU - Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site Ole Miss Rebels Official Athletic Site - Baseball". Archived from the original on 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
9. Cutler, Tami (June 11, 2013). "2013 Division I Baseball Attendance - Final Report" (PDF). Sportswriters.net. NCBWA. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
10. "Baseball Attendance Records 2015" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org.
11. "Baseball Attendance Records 2016" (PDF). fs.ncaa.org.