Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park - 2025 NFCA Field of the Year

Inspiration Field Voted Netting Professionals/NFCA Division III Field of the Year

Site of 2025 NCAA Division III National Championship recognized

10/17/2025 12:00:00 PM

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Illinois Wesleyan University's Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park was named the 2025 Netting Professionals National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Field of the Year, the organization announced Friday, Oct. 17. The award recognizes top fields and stadiums in the nation for their flawless grounds maintenance and exceptional playing surfaces across NCAA Division I, II, and III, as well as NAIA, NJCAA, Cal JC, NWAC, and High School.

"We are so honored to have Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park receive this award," head softball coach Tiffany Prager shared. "Our program is made up of incredible alumni, supporters, and administrators who are dedicated to enhancing the student-athlete experience - all of whom have played a massive role in the transformation of our home facility into what it is today. We are blessed to call Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park our home field and continue to be grateful for how it continues to inspire our youth softball community."

Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park, the site of the 2025 NCAA Division III National Championship, is home to Titan softball and is regarded as one of the top facilities in the country. The lighted field was inaugurated on April 14, 2000 and has since hosted countless NCAA regionals and super regionals along with several College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournaments. It has also been the site for many Illinois High School Association regular season and playoff games, as well as youth softball competitions for a variety of age groups.

Since 2019, the venue has shifted from a dirt playing surface to a turf infield. The facility was renamed to Inspiration Field at Carol Willis Park in the spring of 2021 following the addition of the Titans' new hitting facility. Additional upgrades have included a scoreboard along with a videoboard in left field, and the installation of a new pressbox. Prior to the national championship, the outfield fence was converted to state-of-the-art wall padding that displays the success of IWU softball. The venue also includes updated dugouts, new chairback seating behind home plate, and a picnic pavilion.

"This award is an incredible honor that would not be possible without the support of alum and women's athletics benefactor, Carol Willis, and many others who played pivotal roles in the transformation of our facility," Illinois Wesleyan Director of Athletic Mike Wagner added. "Our alumni, friends, and families took a vision and made it a reality ahead of us hosting the 2025 NCAA Division III softball national championship. The field has been a tremendous blessing for our Titan softball program, but it has also provided the Bloomington-Normal community and surrounding area with a top-tier softball facility."

Gallery: (5-1-2025) Inspiration Field

Joining Inspiration Field as this year's winners are McWhorter Stadium (NCAA DI – Clemson University), Bowden Field (NCAA DII – Augustana University), Warrior Field at Warrior Park (NAIA – Indiana Institute of Technology), The Plex (NJCAA – Northeast Mississippi Community College), Falcon Stadium (Cal JC – Folsom Lake College), Clark College Softball Complex (NWAC – Clark College), and Warrior Field (Calvary Christian High School (Fla.)).

The winners were nominated by NFCA member coaches and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee. They will be recognized Saturday, Dec. 13, during the NFCA Convention's Awards Brunch in Las Vegas.

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