Cowboy Diamond Turf

Baseball

Cowboy Diamond getting facelift with turf installation

McNeese's Cowboy Diamond is getting a significant upgrade for this season, one that is the initial plan of a multi-phase facility upgrade, Cowboys baseball coach Justin Hill has announced.
 
Joseph T. Miller Sr., a Lake Charles businessman and civic leader, presented the McNeese Foundation with a $300,000 donation to install a high-grade artificial turf surface.
 
The new surface will make up the entire infield and foul territories and includes the batter's area and baselines. The only dirt on the field will be the pitcher's mound.
 
The project is the first of three phases of an extensive facility upgrade plan Hill has carefully put together which includes a new entrance court and ticket booth, elevated deck seating down the left and right field sides, VIP seating behind home plate and new fencing around the entire facility.
 
The turf project got underway the week before Thanksgiving with the removal of the existing dirt and the laying down of concrete. The turf is expected to start being placed in the next couple days and completed shortly after, barring any weather delays.
 
"It is humbling to be a part of a project like this," said Hill. "We are so grateful to Mr. Joe Miller not only his financial generosity, but his belief in what we are doing within our program. We are also thankful for his family supporting his generous contribution. His belief in our kids, our program, and what it stands for has helped shine a light on us and we hope his impact will allow us to reach others who want to be involved. I know our players and coaches are extremely excited to have one of the top facilities in the conference. We also realize a renovation of this magnitude is extremely rare and takes a great deal of cooperation. To our alumni, administration and supporters, we owe you a tremendous amount of gratitude because you have paved the way for special things like this to happen.
 
"This is the first step of our facility's master plan. The fact that the turf is happening now will allow us to gather some momentum for other projects that will begin this summer." 
 
Miller has served on the McNeese Foundation Board of Directors since 1972. He has served as president and currently chairs the budget committee and serves on the investment committee. He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from McNeese in 2013 and he has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the McNeese Foundation for his support of the university.
 
Since the late 1990s, he has contributed over $700,000 to the McNeese baseball program.
 
Miller was president of F. Miller and Sons Construction Co. for almost 50 years until 2006. He has also served as president for the State Highway and Heavy Associated General Contractors of America, board member and president of Louisiana Council of Associated General Contractors and director and president of the Lake Charles Associated General Contractors.
 
He is well known in Southwest Louisiana for his interest and support of baseball.  He coached South Lake Charles Little League Baseball for 40 years and was vice president of the Little League for 36 years. Many of his former players have played baseball at McNeese.
 
Miller has received numerous awards for his community service including the Angel Award for Public Service with area youth by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana and Citizen of the Year by the Chamber Southwest Louisiana.
 
Miller and his late wife, Meredith, have supported academic programs at McNeese through endowed scholarships and professorships.
 
 "We are grateful to Mr. Miller for his generosity and support of McNeese baseball," said McNeese Director of Athletics, Bruce Hemphill.
 
For more information, or to make a donation to the plan, contact Hill at 475-5484.
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