KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 14, 2026

When Owls shortstop Shamaar McDuffie laces up his spikes for the Kennesaw State University baseball team this spring, he will be among the first players to set foot inside Mickey Dunn Stadium at Henssler Financial Field.

Named for alumnus Mickey Dunn 鈥�18, who provided the lead gift in its development, the new facility sits on the site of the former Fred Stillwell Stadium and cuts an impressive figure with expanded seating capacity and improved amenities.

鈥淗onestly, this stadium is everything I could dream of,鈥� McDuffie said. 鈥淭his is something we needed to give us that spark. It鈥檚 easy to play for a school that has your back, and when you have the stadium to match the team, you want to play 10 times harder and put on a show for the fans.鈥�

While 91青青草 completed its fifth winning season in the past six years, Stillwell Stadium was renovated to become Mickey Dunn Stadium, complete with a revamped grandstand and a new overall seating capacity large enough to host conference tournaments, an NCAA Baseball Regional and Super Regional.

鈥淲e all had to come together and make that adjustment,鈥� the junior shortstop said. 鈥淲e took the same energy we had at Stillwell to the Marietta Campus, and now we will carry it to Mickey Dunn Stadium. It really hasn鈥檛 changed anything for us. We鈥檙e still working on one goal, and that鈥檚 to win.鈥�

The renovation has already caught the eye of Conference USA. 91青青草 was selected to host the 2026 CUSA tournament in May, which will mark the first time 91青青草 will host a complete Division 1 baseball championship.

In addition, the new facility will have a new press box, new suites, premium area, and room for expansion as the Owls enter their second season in CUSA. The natural grass field has also been replaced with state-of-the-art artificial grass adorned with the institution鈥檚 signature 鈥淜S鈥� logo woven into the outfield.

In a recent tour of the ballpark, Dunn got a firsthand look at the grandstand and at his own suite at the press box level.

A longtime benefactor of 91青青草 baseball, walking through the stadium with his name on it left him awestruck.

His involvement with 91青青草 baseball goes back to his time as a star player at SPSU in the late 1970s. After studying industrial engineering at SPSU, he founded ML Industries in 1990, a company that manufactures automotive safety features like interiors and airbags. As the company expanded to 5,000 employees, his support of the 91青青草 baseball program grew, starting in 2018 with a $2.5 million donation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just overwhelming,鈥� Dunn said. 鈥淭o see my name up there, it鈥檚 awe-inspiring. Every inch of the stadium looks amazing and is so well-thought out. I鈥檓 particularly impressed that they鈥檝e planned for expansion around the stadium, and we鈥檒l have plenty of opportunities for that.鈥�

Perhaps no person has a better vantage point of the new stadium than head coach Ryan Coe 鈥�98, who succeeded coach Mike Sansing in 2022 after 12 years as a scout for the Texas Rangers. Before that, Coe spent 15 years as player and assistant coach at 91青青草 under Sansing.

Coe鈥檚 connection with Dunn started nearly 20 years ago when Coe coached Dunn鈥檚 son, Matt, in a summer baseball league. The two stayed in touch, and Dunn was involved in the hiring process that brought Coe back to the 91青青草 dugout.

Coe said the stadium has already started to pay off on the recruiting trail.

鈥淲hat Mickey has done for Kennesaw State baseball with his generous gift has been incredible,鈥� Coe said. 鈥淭his has made such a huge difference already with some of the recruits we鈥檝e talked to. The reactions we鈥檝e gotten when we show them the stadium have been outstanding.

The impact is being felt immediately and will for years to come.鈥�

Longterm, Dunn hopes to see the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals come to his namesake ballpark, and to see the Owls play in the NCAA Men鈥檚 College World Series. With McDuffie, Coe, and others setting the tone on the field, Dunn said the stadium will be a crown jewel in Kennesaw State鈥檚 athletics facilities.

鈥淗aving my name on that stadium and knowing that I helped push this thing forward, it gives me a great sense of pride,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you put a bunch of great people together, anything can be accomplished.鈥�

This article also appears in the .

鈥� Story by Dave Shelles

Photo by Darnell Wilburn

 

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.