The Penn State York baseball team will play in WellSpan Park beginning in March thanks to a partnership with the York Revolution and a grant from the York County Community Foundation's Bob Hoffman Sports and Fitness Fund.
YORK, Pa. — A celebration of baseball is set for Feb. 13 when Penn State York, Penn State York Athletics and the York Revolution will reveal a partnership that allows WellSpan Park to be the official home of Penn State York baseball. The ceremony is set for 12:30 p.m. in the 1741 Club at the ballpark where members of the campus, the baseball team, and the community are invited to share their excitement. The team will begin playing its home games in WellSpan Park in March. WellSpan Park is at 5 Brooks Robinson Way in York.
“Penn State York is excited to provide our baseball team this amazing opportunity to play their home games in WellSpan Park, a professional facility in our city. It is a dream come true and members of the local community can join with the campus community to watch our team play,” said David Christiansen, chancellor of Penn State York. “Special thanks to the York County Community Foundation’s Bob Hoffman Sports and Fitness Fund for making this possible and to the York Revolution for being our partner in this adventure.”
Thanks to a $45,000 grant from the York County Community Foundation’s Bob Hoffman Sports and Fitness Fund, the Penn State York baseball team will play its home games at WellSpan Park for the next three years, 2024-26. The team will practice at Shyrock Park in York Township and York City Park near the campus.
“We are thrilled to make WellSpan Park the home of Penn State York’s baseball program,” said York Revolution President Eric Menzer. “This type of relationship touches all the bases for us — baseball, young people, and our hometown campus of a great university. This is the essence of what we try to do for our community, well beyond professional baseball.”
Representatives from Penn State York — Di Hershey, director of development; David Christiansen, chancellor; Scott Simonds, director of student affairs; and Jeff Barkdoll, director of athletics — worked with Menzer to establish the partnership that will allow the York baseball team to play at the ballpark.
“We are so excited for this opportunity and for all who have made it possible! So many pieces had to come together to make this work and, on behalf of our student-athletes, our staff, and campus community we are extremely grateful for everyone who came together to make this happen,” said Barkdoll. “Playing at WellSpan Park will mean so much to our baseball and athletic program and will provide the opportunity for our students to play in such a great facility. It will connect our program, our campus community, our students and their families, and our fans to downtown York.”
Speakers at the ceremony include Mentzer, Christiansen, Barkdoll and Todd Meckley, head baseball coach at Penn State York.
Penn State York has worked with the York Revolution over the years to have the York baseball team play a doubleheader in the ballpark each season for a decade, but this agreement makes WellSpan Park York’s home field. The campus also held commencement in the ballpark during the pandemic — the first time a commencement was held in that facility.
Penn State York will be the first team to play on the Kentucky bluegrass playing surface that is completely new for 2024. WellSpan Park is the home of the York Revolution, York’s professional baseball team — a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Located in historic downtown York, Pennsylvania, the ballpark is a state-of-the art facility built to AAA baseball standards.
“Playing at WellSpan Park will mean so much to our baseball and athletic program and will provide the opportunity for our students to play in such a great facility. It will connect our program, our campus community, our students and their families, and our fans to downtown York.”—Jeff Barkdoll , director of athletics at Penn State York
Todd Meckley, head baseball coach at Penn State York, said becoming partners with the York Revolution to play all of York’s home games at the ballpark means everything to the team.
“WellSpan Park provides our student-athletes with an experience that is truly second to none. It provides our players with an opportunity to play in a state-of-the-art stadium, while extending an outstanding experience for our fans and spectators as well,” said Meckley. He also noted that the move to WellSpan Park will assist the campus in recruiting prospective student-athletes looking to attend Penn State York. He said he is most appreciative, as are the players and other coaches.
“I would like to thank everyone at Penn State York and the York Revolution who were a part of making this dream become a reality for our student-athletes,” said Meckley.
Penn State York will play its first game in WellSpan Park on Friday, March 22, against Penn State Scranton. The doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Donors like the York County Community Foundation advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients, and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
