SJU baseball unveils new clubhouse

The St. John’s baseball team is off to a winning start after the non-conference opener against University of Wisconsin-Superior on Monday. This win was aided by the brand-new, state-of-the-art clubhouse within the confines of Haugen Field at Becker Park.

SJU assistant coach Scott Lieser said he is pleased with how everyone stepped up to make the clubhouse happen. Lieser commented that this will help recruiting purposes, the student-athlete perspectives touring campus, donors stepping up and faculty benefitting the Johnnie baseball program.

“It is a huge bonus anytime student-athletes get to use better facilities. The donors have really stepped up to make this place one of the best clubhouses in all of Division III, and we are lucky to have this right here in Collegeville,” Lieser said.

Head coach Jerry Haugen is excited for his squad this year as he begins his 47th season in Collegeville.

“Competing for the Division III national championship is our goal, and that’s our dream. Having the best facilities will help us be capable of making this happen,” Haugen said.

Discussion throughout the season about the prospective clubhouse encouraged many student-athletes to return through the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA. Second baseman Owen Dauk, centerfielder Jordan Amundson and St. Thomas transfer pitcher Jeremy Klick are three players using their extra year of eligibility. Lieser added that many returners are excited to finally have a locker room, which Johnnie baseball players had never had before.

“I think the guys were really excited to see this put into place when they got to Collegeville for early season practices. There have been a lot of people looking forward to seeing the opening of this space. This is a great step for the Johnnie baseball program,” Lieser said.

The state-of-the-art facility includes flat screen TVs, lockers with the SJU crest for each player and a spot for name plates. It also gives direct access to the home dugout and bullpen areas.

The team heavily anticipated the new clubhouse all season. Senior third baseman Joe Becker, senior pitcher Kody Dalen, junior pitcher Will Fazio and Amundson gave insight into what this new facility means for having a winning season.

During the grand opening of the clubhouse, Becker stated that this is one of the nicer spaces he has seen. He went on to say that this compares to some major Division I programs that Becker had interest in.

“Having the new clubhouse is amazing for Johnnie athletics as a whole. I am incredibly thankful to be attending a university that values giving back. The clubhouse will also be a big help for recruiting, so I’m hoping for long time success in the future for SJU baseball. It doesn’t matter what level of division the program is; the clubhouse here has everything a team needs and more,” Becker said.

Dalen, a starting pitcher from Carver, believes the clubhouse will help the team grow closer. The clubhouse will also bring many benefits for the pitching staff this season.

“The clubhouse gives us a space to hang out as a team and bond. It also gives us the benefit of being able to stay warm during games in cold weather,” Dalen said. “It is always easy to play some baseball when you can feel your fingers. Our pitching staff is going to be able to use the clubhouse’s training room to stay healthy. We have a lot of good arms, and I’m excited to see what the season will bring.”

Amundson believes the clubhouse will motivate the team to bring the Division III National Championship to Collegeville.

“It is a really special opportunity that the seniors get to use the clubhouse for their final year of baseball. Now that we have access to the clubhouse, we have to do the work on the field,” Amundson said.

Fazio said he is happy with how players have used the new facilities.

“Before games and practices, I have seen guys getting to the field early to enjoy our new space. It is great to see guys be accountable and have goals to bring an NCAA Championship home,” Fazio said.

For their annual spring break trip, St. John’s will travel to Florida to take on nationally ranked schools in Division III. This includes Otterbein, Heidelberg, Misericordia, Marietta, Hiram, Baruch and Muskingum. The team will then travel to Tucson, Ariz., for another four-game slate against SAGU-American Indian College, Wesleyan and Luther College in Iowa.