O’Connor has eye on stadium expansion

At numerous stops along the way last year en route to the College World Series, Brian O’Connor thought of the possibilities.

Many of those internal features at numerous opposing venues could soon be added at Davenport Field.

A project with a price tag of $4.5 million could start in October, O’Connor said, should the necessary money be raised and the project given university approval.

The current venture would bring the program a state-of-the-art weight room, a film room that would double as a team meeting area, a visitor’s locker room and an umpire’s locker room.

The proposed plan will also increase the size of Virginia’s locker room and the capacity of the training room.

Many of those features are needed to improve the Cavaliers’ standing for hosting an NCAA tournament event.

“This project is very important for two reasons,” O’Connor said. “It will have a major impact on player development and recruiting, and the upgrades, in addition to this project, are becoming standard in facilities across the country.

“The second part is to enhance our ability to host a NCAA regional, and a number of the additions that we could make will make that happen should we perform at the needed standard on the field. This will truly help enhance our chance to host a regional.”

One of the biggest impacts with the initial part of the mission, which should be completed by April, should regulate the temperature in the batting cages.

“That is the best part of the project,” said former Virginia standout Ryan Zimmerman, now with the Washington Nationals. “This will make the playing experience at Virginia that much better and, that is what the top-notch players are looking for in the recruiting process.

“When this plan has been completed, Virginia will compete with some of the top facilities in the country.”