Rhoads Stadium

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Rhoads Stadium
John & Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL.jpg
Rhoads Stadium
Full nameJohn and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium
Former namesAlabama Softball Complex (2000–2010)
Location321 5th Avenue
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Coordinates 33°12′48″N87°31′49″W / 33.213343°N 87.530383°W / 33.213343; -87.530383
Owner University of Alabama
Operator UA Athletics
Capacity 3,940
Field sizeLeft Field: 200 ft
Center Field: 220 ft
Right Field: 200 ft
SurfaceNatural grass
ScoreboardVideo board and full box score LED scoreboard by Daktronics
Construction
OpenedFebruary 23, 2000
Construction cost $2.2 million
Architect Rosser International
General contractorN. C. Morgan Construction
Tenants
Alabama Crimson Tide Softball (NCAA)
2000–present

The John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium (frequently shortened to Rhoads Stadium) is a college softball stadium located on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It serves as the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team and is located on the corner of Peter Bryce Boulevard and Campus Drive on the northeast corner of campus. The Crimson Tide's all-time record at Rhoads Stadium is 316–50 (.863). [1] After they played their first season at Sokol Park and at Bowers Park for both the 1998 and 1999 seasons, the Crimson Tide opened Rhoads Stadium on February 23, 2000, with a 7–1 victory over the UAB Blazers. [2] [3]

Contents

John L. Rhoads was a graduate of the University of Alabama and a long-time partner at accounting firm Ernst & Ernst. He died in 2001. [4]

Events hosted

While the general use of the Rhoads Stadium is the regular season home of the Crimson Tide, it has also played host to a number of different events including multiple post season NCAA and SEC tournaments, as well as marquee exhibition games.

Post season tournaments

YearEventParticipantsChampion
2001NCAA Regional Alabama, Chattanooga, Illinois-Chicago, Michigan, Oregon State, South Florida Michigan
2003NCAA Regional Alabama, Chattanooga, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Massachusetts, Southern, Southern Illinois, Stanford Alabama
2004 SEC tournament Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee LSU
2005NCAA Regional Alabama, Arizona State, Hofstra, Mississippi Valley St. Alabama
2005Super Regional Alabama, Texas A&M Alabama
2006NCAA Regional Alabama, Florida A&M, Georgia Tech, Mississippi Valley St. Alabama
2006Super Regional Alabama, Stanford Alabama
2007NCAA Regional Alabama, California, Florida State, Tennessee Tech Alabama
2008NCAA Regional Alabama, Chattanooga, Florida State, Jacksonville State Alabama
2008Super Regional Alabama, Missouri Alabama
2009NCAA Regional Alabama, Chattanooga, Mississippi Valley State, Texas Alabama
2009Super Regional Alabama, Jacksonville State Alabama
2010NCAA Regional Alabama, Alcorn State, Lipscomb, UAB Alabama
2010Super Regional Alabama, Hawai'i Hawai'i
2011NCAA Regional Alabama, Chattanooga, Jackson State, Memphis Alabama
2011Super Regional Alabama, Stanford Alabama
2012 SEC tournament Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee Alabama
2012NCAA Regional Alabama, Tennessee-Martin, Georgia Tech, South Alabama Alabama
2012Super Regional Alabama, Michigan Alabama
2013NCAA Regional Alabama, Western Kentucky, South Carolina Upstate, Jacksonville State Alabama
2014NCAA Regional Alabama, SIU Edwardsville, USC Upstate, South Alabama Alabama
2014Super Regional Alabama, Nebraska Alabama
2015NCAA Regional Alabama, Fairfield, Washington, USC Upstate Alabama
2015Super Regional Alabama, Oklahoma Alabama
2016NCAA Regional Alabama, Samford, California, North Dakota Alabama
2016Super Regional Alabama, Washington Alabama
2017NCAA Regional Alabama, Minnesota, Albany, Louisiana Tech Alabama
2018NCAA Regional Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Oregon State, Wisconsin Alabama
2019NCAA Regional Alabama, Alabama State, Lipscomb, Arizona State Alabama
2019Super Regional Alabama, Texas Alabama
2021 SEC tournament Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss Alabama
2021NCAA Regional Alabama, Alabama State, Clemson, Troy Alabama
2021Super Regional Alabama, Kentucky Alabama
2025NCAA Regional Alabama, Virginia Tech, Belmont, Jackson State TBD
Reference: [5]

Attendance

As the program has continued to grow, attendance at Rhoads Stadium has continued to increase. In 2010, the Crimson Tide established a new single season, NCAA attendance record with 63,271 fans in attendance over the course of their 28 home dates. [6] Their record was subsequently broken by Arizona in 2011 when the Wildcats saw 72,545 fans in attendance over the course of their 28 home dates. [6] Prior to the 2012 season, Rhoads Stadium saw its capacity increase to 3,940, and Alabama reached that capacity for the first time on April 14, 2012, in a 7–5 win against South Carolina to set a new school, single-game attendance record. [7] These attendance records are more easily reached given the only softball stadium with more capacity in the United States is the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium (the home stadium of the NCAA Softball World Series). [1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rhoads Stadium". University of Alabama Athletics. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  2. Deas, Tommy (February 21, 1999). "Nomadic team: Alabama softball will finally have a permanent home". The Tuscaloosa News. p. D12. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  3. Deas, Tommy (February 24, 2000). "Tide triumphs in home opener". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  4. "2018 Alabama Business Hall of Fame Inductees Named". ua.edu. University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Business. July 18, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  5. "2020 Softball Media Guide - Alabama Athletics" (PDF). rolltide.com. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  6. 1 2 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "Annual Team Home Attendance Champions" (PDF). 2012 Softball Records. NCAA.org. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  7. "Walk-off heroics from Reilly-Boccia propels softball to 7–5 win". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. April 14, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.