 | |
 Exterior view of the stadium in 2018 | |
 Interactive map of Caesar Uyesaka Stadium | |
| Former names | Campus Diamond, Campus Stadium |
|---|---|
| Address | Stadium Road Santa Barbara, CA United States |
| Owner | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| Type | Ballpark |
| Capacity | 1,000 |
| Field size | Left field line - 335 feet (102 m) Left-center field - 385 feet (117 m) Center field - 400 feet (122 m) Right-center field - 385 feet (117 m) Right field line - 335 feet (102 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Scoreboard | Yes |
| Current use | Baseball |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1964; 61 years ago (1964) |
| Renovated | 5 February 1994 |
| Tenants | |
| Website | |
| ucsb.edu/caesar-uyesaka-stadium | |
Caesar Uyesaka Stadium is abaseball stadium inSanta Barbara,California. It is the home field of theUC Santa Barbara Gauchos baseball team as well as theSanta Barbara Foresters.[1]
The stadium known simply as "Campus Diamond" or "Campus Stadium" opened in 1964, and underwent a major renovation and expansion after the 1993 college baseball season ended.[2] The stadium was renamed for the lateCaesar Uyesaka, a Santa Barbara resident and dedicated UCSBbooster. The first game was hosted at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium on 5 February 1994 in a contest between UC Santa Barbara and theUniversity of San Diego Toreros. UCSB won the game, 10–4.
The stadium is designed with two levels, one on top of the other, where all seating is directly behind home plate. It offers a unique view in that the seats are "field level" and under the shade of the seating deck above it. The seating does not stretch past first or third base. There is no established seating in the outfield, although occasionally students stand behind the outfield fences.
With Santa Barbara'sMediterranean climate, Caesar Uyesaka Stadium is a popular destination for students and the community alike in the spring and summer. TheSanta Ynez Mountains can be seen beyond the outfield fence and southerly ocean breezes from thePacific Ocean can be felt. The prevailing breeze off the ocean blows toward the outfield and makes the stadium a hitter-friendly park, despite the fact its outfield fences are farther than many major league ballparks.
Under coach Al Ferrer, UCSB improved its program in the late 1970s and 1980s. Along with this improvement came larger and more enthusiastic crowds. A group of students began taking the cardboard boxes given out at the concession stands to carry food and wore them sideways on their heads. Eventually this practice spread and the student section of rowdy supporters became known as the "hammerheads", after the distinctive look ofhammerhead sharks.
To accommodate the strain of hosting two baseball teams, Caesar Uyesaka Stadium has undergone many upgrades to provide an enjoyable experience to the crowds. Recent upgrades since 2006 include a 1,600-square-foot (150 m2) clubhouse (including lockers and showers) and covered hitting/pitching facility.
At the time, those upgrades did not bring Caesar Uyesaka up to minimum standards to host anNCAA Division I baseball tournament regional or super regional tournament. The stadium lacked an adequate press facility and the capacity was short of what the NCAA desires for a host site. UCSB hosted a 2015 regional at theLake Elsinore Diamond inRiverside County, a drive which often takes more than three hours and is routed throughGlendale andPasadena, among other locales. Thankfully, with additional upgrades to the stadium, its press facilities, and the stadium capacity, the NCAA finally approved Caesar Uyesaka Stadium as a regional host in 2024 for theSanta Barbara Regional. The Gauchos went 2-2, ultimately losing the regional final to Oregon.
Lights were added to the stadium prior to the 2020 season. The first night game at Caesar Uyesaka was played on 17 February 2020, with UCSB defeating theCal Bears 17–7.[3][4]
34°25′07″N119°51′09″W / 34.418609°N 119.852536°W /34.418609; -119.852536
