new baseball practice facility to be built at new mexico state university

Work could begin later this year on the construction of a new training facility to be used by the Aggies baseball team at New Mexico State University.

The roughly 4,500 square foot building will go up next to the team dugout on the south central side of the Las Cruces campus, just off Locust Street.

Designed by the New York-based HOK Architect firm, the rectangular-shaped structure will have a peaked roof, exterior screen walls, and protected ceiling fans.

NMSU’s Director of Athletics, Mario Moccia, said in a statement, that the facility will be a “tremendous addition to the Aggie Baseball program, and another major step in creating one of the premiere college baseball stadium complexes in the Southwest.”

Some $900,000 in funding to build the new training center is coming from Mike and Judy Johnson. Mike Johnson is an NMSU graduate and former chief executive officer of Conoco Gas and Power, while Mary attended the school before becoming a city controller in Houston.

Five years ago, the Johnsons donated $1.4 million to NMSU to pay for an upgrade of the baseball stadium’s seating and clubhouse lighting system.

By Garry Boulard

---