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Founders Park

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Founders Park
"The Rock by the River"
Map
Interactive map of Founders Park
Former names
Carolina Stadium (2009–2015)
LocationColumbia, South Carolina
Capacity8,242 (total)
6,600 (seated)
Surface419 Bermuda turf grass
Record attendance
8,242
Construction
Groundbreaking2007
OpenedFebruary 21, 2009
Cost
$35.6 million
ArchitectPopulous
General contractor
Contract Construction
Tenants
South Carolina Gamecocks (2009-present)

Founders Park, formerly known as Carolina Stadium, is a ballpark in Columbia, South Carolina on the banks of the Congaree River. The facility cost $35.6 million to build and is the home stadium for the South Carolina Gamecocks college baseball team.

Overview

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Gamecocks playing Duquesne on February 21, 2009

The dimensions of the field are 325 feet (99 m) down the right and left-field lines and 390 feet (120 m) to dead center, matching those of Sarge Frye Field, the previous home stadium of the Gamecocks. The baseball training facilities at the stadium include four indoor batting tunnels, a 3,900-square-foot (360 m2) weight room, team clubhouse, coaches' offices, and a sports medicine room. Among the amenities for fans, there are five luxury suites and two club-level seating areas with lounges, a Gamecock store just inside the main entrance in the outfield plaza, along with a picnic terrace that accommodates around 120 people down the left-field line. The scoreboard towers 86 feet (26 m) over the left field wall and features a 28-by-16-foot video screen.

The main stadium entrance to Founders Park is located at the northeast corner of the grounds directly behind the center-field wall. Following the 2010 national championship, USC had a mural applied to the backside of its center-field wall (to be viewed as visitors and fans enter onto stadium grounds), celebrating the 2010 title. In addition, a showcase was built at the base of the wall for the display of the national championship trophy. The mural and trophy case have since been updated to honor both the 2010 and 2011 championship teams.

In 2013, the website Stadium Journey ranked Carolina Stadium as the second best Division I baseball venue, and received an average rating 4.6 of 5 stars in 7 categories.[1] In 2014, the website ranked it first, with an average rating 4.7 of 5 stars in 7 categories.[2]

In 2015, the ballpark's name was officially changed from Carolina Stadium to Founders Park, becoming only the third college baseball stadium in the United States with a corporate sponsorship.[3][4] This advertising agreement was extended in 2024.[5]

History

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The stadium opened on February 21, 2009, with a 13–0 South Carolina victory over Duquesne with 8,153 fans in attendance, setting a Gamecock home game attendance record. USC President Harris Pastides and former Gamecock baseball coaches Bobby Richardson and June Raines threw out ceremonial first pitches. Darius Rucker, who attended USC, sang the national anthem.

A stadium record attendance of 8,242 was set during a game against Florida on May 21, 2010. This record has been matched many times since. The highest attendance for a three-game weekend series, 24,726, was set on April 15–17, 2011, when the Gamecocks hosted #1 Vanderbilt.[6]

Tournaments Hosted

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NCAA Regional Tournaments: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2023

NCAA Super Regional Tournaments: 2011, 2012, 2016, 2021

Key dates

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Event Date Opponent Result
Broke ground2007-
First gameFebruary 21, 2009DuquesneW 13–0
First selloutMay 21, 2010FloridaL 2–5
100th winMarch 3, 2012ClemsonW 9–6
One millionth fanMay 9, 2012FurmanW 7–0

South Carolina Gamecocks' Record in Founders Park (2009–Present)

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Year Games Overall W–L Overall Win Pct NCAA W–L NCAA Win Pct Total Attendance (SEC/Nat Rank) Avg Attendance (SEC/Nat Rank)
20093526–9.7420–0-231,360 (4th/4th)6,805 (4th/4th)
20103630–6.8333–01.000236,529 (3rd/4th)6,758 (4th/4th)
20114036–4.9005–01.000297,279 (2nd/2nd)7,431 (4th/4th)
20123932–7.8215–01.000295,389 (2nd/2nd)7,574 (3rd/3rd)
20133731–6.8383–01.000260,605 (3rd/3rd)7,445 (5th/5th)
20144134–7.8292–2.500305,564 (2nd/2nd)7,453 (3rd/3rd)
20153625–11.6940-0.000250,057 (3rd/3rd)7,354 (4th/4th)
20164134–7.8294-3.571293,677 (3rd/3rd)7,162 (5th/5th)
20173623–13.6390-0.000258,407 (4th/4th)7,177 (5th/5th)
20183424–10.7060-0.000229,434 (4th/4th)6,748 (4th/4th)
Totals*375295–80.78722–5.8152,658,3017,089

*Totals only reflect completed seasons

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "2013 College Baseball Ballpark Rankings - Stadium Journey". www.stadiumjourney.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29.
  2. ↑ "NCAA Ballpark Experience Rankings 2014 - Stadium Journey". www.stadiumjourney.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-19.
  3. ↑ Shain, Andrew (October 20, 2015). "Gamecocks baseball stadium to be renamed Founders Park". The State.
  4. ↑ "Founders Park - The Home Of Carolina Baseball University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site". www.gamecocksonline.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
  5. ↑ Titus, Payton (September 27, 2024). "South Carolina extends baseball stadium naming rights deal. Here are the details". The State.
  6. ↑ "Founders Park". University of South Carolina Athletics. 2022-06-04. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
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33°59′12″N 81°2′38″W / 33.98667°N 81.04389°W / 33.98667; -81.04389

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