For the first time in 30 years, the Muhlenberg softball team will play its home games on campus in 2025.

Construction on the new field, in the area in between Scotty Wood Stadium and Varsity Field in the northwest corner of campus, began recently. The project also entails the relocation of throwing areas for the Mule track & field teams to include a shot put sector, a hammer cage and practice and competition runways for javelin.

"The new on-campus field represents a transformative milestone for our program. It not only provides our athletes with a top-notch facility to hone their skills but also strengthens our community spirit and commitment to excellence," says softball head coach Sarah Leavenworth. 

"This space will serve as a hub for collaboration, competition and team spirit, allowing us to elevate our performance while also giving us back valuable time to focus on our academic endeavors," she adds. "Balancing athletics and academics is crucial, and this new field will help us achieve that harmony, enabling us to showcase our pride in every game we play and continue to excel in the classroom." 

The Mules last played on campus in 1995 and have since played their home games primarily at the Lehigh County Sports Fields complex in West Allentown, with a handful at Patriots Park in East Allentown. 

"The team is super excited to bring the field to campus!" says team member Skyla Campisi '27, who lives in Taylor Hall, directly across the College's back drive from the site of the new field. "When I walk past the construction site on the way to the Life Sports Center, it's definitely a great reminder for what we are working for during the offseason. Having the field on campus is very convenient and will save a lot of travel time for us. It's also going to increase our home game student support since the field will be more accessible, which is another thing we are excited for!"

Leavenworth, who coached the Mules to the Centennial Conference championship in 2022 and the CC title series last spring, says that the team will plan to play more home games, including night games, in the future. The option to have later practices under the lights will benefit players in certain majors who have late classes or labs. 

Moving the throwing sectors to the area of the space closest to Liberty Street will allow the Mule field athletes to practice at the same time softball plays and practices. 

"We're excited about the improvements being made to our facilities between Varsity Field and Scotty Wood Stadium," says track and field head coach Amy Filanowski. "The updates will provide valuable training spaces for our athletes as we continue to build a strong program. I'm also excited that this will allow the softball team to play on campus, which is a great benefit for their program and the entire Muhlenberg athletic community."

The Muhlenberg throwing program has a long history of success, crowning 19 CC gold medalists and three All-Americans since 2012.