Built in 1953, the Nest is one of the most historic facilities among all NCAA Division I member universities. With a seating capacity of approximately 1,200, the intimate setting results in a great opportunity for the fans to be close to the action from every seat in the gym. It also provides the Hornets one of the best home-court advantages in the NCAA. In 2002, the Hornet men's basketball team sold out every game in Big Sky Conference play.
HORNET FIELD
Capacity: 1,500
Sports: Men's and Women's Soccer
Hornet Field became a permanent stadium in 2002 and is currently home to both men’s and women’s soccer. The Sacramento State men's soccer team has proved Hornet Field to be an extremely intimidating venue, as they have been unbeaten in 21 straight contests (16-0-5), including a 2-1 victory over Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010. The Hornets hosted the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament at Hornet Field in 2010.
Located just west of Yosemite Hall, Hornet Field boasts an international size playing surface that has hosted the Women’s Professional Soccer League’s Sacramento Storm and has been the training site for Mexican professional teams.
JOHN SMITH FIELD
Capacity: 1,200
Sport: Baseball
Dimensions: LF- 333, CF-400, RF-333
Sacramento State’s John Smith Field opened in 1953, was renovated in 2002 and most recently renamed prior to the 2010 season in honor of former skipper John Smith, who coached the program for 32 seasons.
The renovation in 2002 included permanent stadium seating with 150 VIP chairbacks and 1,050 general admission seats. The field was also renovated with new sunken dugouts, new sod was laid between home plate and the backstop, and padding was added along the backstop and dugout areas.
Current head coach Reggie Christiansen, a tireless fundraiser for the program, has made improvements to the batting cages, player clubhouse and dugout prior to the 2011 season. He also had the windscreen beyond the outfield fence extend through the right field foul pole. The outfield fence itself was redone before the start of the 2011 season as well.
John Smith Field was the site of the NCAA Division II West Regionals in 1986 and 1988. The clubhouse was redesigned in 2007 and includes a player lounge, locker room and coaches offices. The infield apron was rebuilt in 2007 and a rubberized surface was added around home plate.
Dimensions: LF-200, CF-220, RF-200
Shea Stadium was built in the Fall of 1986 by the hard work of Irene Shea, who had just agreed to take over the program as head coach, and assistant coaches Jim Beitia and Alan Segal. The new field included a concrete backstop, a permanent outfield fence, new concrete dugouts and a re-leveled and sodded playing surface. It was the site of the 1987 NCAA Div. II West Regionals where over 1,000 fans attended the two-day event, as well as the 1995 NCAA Div. I West Regionals.
In 2002, Shea Stadium was renovated to include permanent stadium seating with 106 VIP chairbacks and 800 general admission seats. The project also included new sunken dugouts and an enclosed, lighted, two-lane batting cage.
The home of Sacramento State men's and women's tennis is located just off campus on Scripps Drive. The facility features 24 tennis courts (19 lighted). The Hornets also have the ability to train and compete at the Spare Time Indoor Tennis Center in Gold River, Calif., and also used the Gold River Racquet Club to host the Big Sky Conference Championships four straight years from 2007-10.
The site of seven NCAA National Championships (1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011), Lake Natoma has been one of, if not the, premier rowing venue in the nation. The Sacramento State women’s rowing team has full access to the water, pontoon boats, boathouse, locker room, weight room and an erg loft thanks in part to the Aquatic Center and the University’s Associated Students Inc. (ASI).
Lake Natoma is the holding basin between Folsom Dam and Nimbus Dam which leads to the start of the lower American River. The Sacramento State Aquatic Center has also hosted the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships, Pac-10 Conference Championships and the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships.
