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Mike D. Lane Field
Address for Directions:
615 N Pine Street
Florence, Alabama 35630
On March 11, 2008, the home of the University of North Alabama baseball team got a new name as the facility, long known as University Field, was renamed Mike D. Lane Field in honor of the Lions’ longtime baseball coach.
Lane, who later retired following the 2008 season, guided UNA to 25 straight winning seasons, won 908 games at UNA and averaged 36 wins per year from 1984 to 2008.
A huge part of UNA’s overall success under Lane was built on a tremendous home field advantage. The Lions had a 571-156-4 record at home under Lane for a 78 percent winning percentage. In Lane’s 25 years at the school, UNA won 20 or more home games 20 times, including the last eight years in a row.
The renovations to the stadium, which was completed midway through the 2008 season, included new grandstands, ticket booth, restrooms and entrance way.
In 1999 the Lions won both the Gulf South Conference and NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament championships on their home field and went 32-5 at home.
Those impressive records at home were crucial in Lane’s ability to turn the Lions’ program into one of the most consistent winners in the country.
The Lions participated in the NCAA playoffs 10 times under Lane.
In 1989, UNA hosted its first NCAA baseball event and drew record crowds to University Field to watch three Gulf South Conference schools - UNA, Jacksonville State and Delta State - battle for the regional crown . In 1995 UNA hosted its second regional, which was again an All-GSC affair with UNA, Delta State and Valdosta State, and in 1997 UNA hosted Elon and Central Oklahoma in the South Central Regional. In 1999 UNA hosted its fourth regional that included Alabama-Huntsville, Delta State and Southeastern Oklahoma State.
UNA struggled to go 11-7 at home in 1984 but won the first GSC baseball championship in school history on the field with a sweep of Mississippi College in the championship round.
That record has been followed by numerous impressive marks, including 21 seasons with 20 or more home wins.
Night baseball also began at University Field in 1990, and UNA went 9-1 in home night games that season, including a 6-2 win over Division I power Middle Tennessee State in the dedication game on April 5.
The Lions also have a full tarp which has prevented several rain-outs over the years, and the new ultra- modern scoreboard and expanded grand-stand have enhanced Lion games for the fans.
UNA baseball has come a long way in the last 32 seasons, and Mike D. Lane Field is a reflection of those changes. It is now among the top facilities in Division II baseball.
In 2009, in the school’s first season with Mike Keehn as head coach, the Lions went 24-12 at home. That extended UNA’s streak to nine straight seasons with 20 or more home wins. The Lions are 129-65 at home in seven seasons under Keehn.
Mike D. Lane Field Dimensions
330 - Left field line
365 - Left field alley
410 - Left center
385 - Center
410 - Right center
360 - Right field alley
320 - Right field line
Lions at Mike Lane Field since 1984
1984 11-7-0
1985 19-3-0
1986 21-4-0
1987 21-2-1
1988 15-8-1
1989 24-6-0
1990 24-3-0
1991 20-3-0
1992 23-6-0
1993 17-4-0
1994 26-7-2
1995 27-9-0
1996 27-4-0
1997 30-10-0
1998 24-4-0
1999 32-5-0
2000 19-4-0
2001 21-9
2002 26-5
2003 26-10
2004 26-9
2005 20-10
2006 25-5
2007 22-10
2008 25-9
2008 24-12
2009 24-12
2010 17-12
2011 17-5
2012 28-6
2013 17-7-1
2014 14-13
2015 12-10
Total 699-220-5
