Fresno State Athletics
Margie Wright Diamond
Capacity: 3,288 (1,688 permanent seats)
First Season: 1996 - Bulldog Diamond (Renamed Margie Wright Diamond May 3, 2014)
Cost: $3.2 Million
Dimensions: 205 FT down the lines, 220 FT to center
Records reflect games played through the 2019 season
With more than three decades of national excellence that includes an NCAA Softball Championship title (1998), 12 trips to the NCAA Women’s College World Series, 33 NCAA regional appearances, and 24 conference championship titles, Fresno State holds a special place in the history of collegiate softball.
The Bulldogs, who have the second most all-time NCAA Tournament appearances (33), boast an equally highly-regarded home in Margie Wright Diamond.
Since its debut in 1996 the venue was known as Bulldog Diamond before being appropriately renamed on May 3, 2014 for its pioneering former head coach.
The stadium is like no other in the collegiate ranks with a current seating capacity of 3,288, and the Bulldogs sport an impressive home field record of 561-132 (.810) from 1996-2018. Not surprisingly, the stadium was singled out in the summer of 2000 by the American Institute of Architect San Joaquin for its “excellence in design and execution.”
The $3.2 million softball stadium features 1,688 permanent seat-back chairs that include 388 box seats, sunken dugouts, lights, concessions stands, restrooms, practice areas, enclosed batting cages, press box and scoreboard. Completely fenced in, Margie Wright Diamond is 205 feet down the lines and 220 feet to center field.
Home to one of the country’s overall largest fan followings since 1987, Fresno State has amassed an outstanding winning percentage of .718 (1,808-709-2) in its 42-year history while hosting 21 NCAA regional championships since 1982. The ‘Dogs have averaged at least 1,000 fans per single-date for 26 consecutive seasons.
With the NCAA officially keeping total and average attendance marks since 1991, Fresno State has led the country in average attendance in 13 seasons (unofficially in 18 total seasons) while being tops in the nation in total attendance in 10 seasons (unofficially in 15 seasons).
Fresno State has drawn more than 825,000 (825,488) fans while averaging 1,325 fans per home date (623) in 42 seasons of play. Three times in the last 19 years the Bulldogs have broken their own NCAA total regular season attendance record.
In 1999, Fresno State drew its largest single-season attendance with 55,746 fans in 26 dates for an average of 2,144. The 1997 Bulldogs broke their own NCAA records in total and average attendance that they set the previous year as Fresno State drew 51,133 fans for an average of 2,557 (20 dates). In 1996, the `Dogs totaled 34,224 fans for an average of 2,139 (16 dates).
Fresno State owns the NCAA all-time largest regular-season softball crowd with its 5,724 total versus Arizona (March 14, 2000), and also topped the 5,000 mark twice at home versus UCLA in 1996 (5,427, February 24) and 1997 (5,167, February 8).
The Bulldogs have set the NCAA single-date regular season record five times (1993, 3,517; 1989, 3,357; 1988, 2,583; 1996, 5,427; 2000, 5,724).
“We built something that is a testament to our commitment toward women and girls in the sport,” said Wright, the NCAA’s all-time winningest softball coach and the first NCAA Division I softball coach to ever post 1,300 Division I wins. “The university has honored its former players while welcoming generations to come with this premier softball stadium.”
In her 27 years at the helm, Wright amassed an NCAA-record 1,294-450-1 mark that included one NCAA title (1998), three NCAA runner-up finishes (1988, `89, `90), three NCAA third-place finishes (1991, `92, `97) and three NCAA fifth-place finishes (1987, `94, ‘99) among her 10 World College World Series trips with the program.
The 10-Time Conference Coach of the Year also racked up 17 conference titles, 26 NCAA Tournament bids (1986-2011) and 178 straight weeks in the NCAA Top 25 en route to NFCA and ASA-USA Softball Hall of Fame distinctions.
On the individual front, her Bulldog players included 53 All-Americans, 15 Olympians, 29 Conference Players/Pitchers/Freshmen of the Year and eight professional players. Away from the collegiate spectrum, she was smartly picked as a U.S. head coach for the 1998 ISF World Championship and assistant coach for the 1996 Olympic Games, and helped lead teams to gold medals in each.
With a history of demanding nothing short of excellence, Fresno State has rewarded its loyal fan-base with 13 USA Softball Olympians, one Puerto Rico Softball Olympian, one Greece Softball Olympian, one Canada Olympian, 24 draft selections, 55 All-Americans, 18 Academic All-Americans, 126 all-region and 201 all-conference picks.
NCAA All-Time Largest Softball Crowds
Single Date, Regular Season
5,724
Fresno State vs. Arizona
Bulldog Diamond - Fresno, Calif.
March 14, 2000
All-Time Regular Season Attendance Record
55,746
Fresno State (1999)
Fresno State's 5,000+ Attendance Games
5,724
Fresno State vs. Arizona
Bulldog Diamond - Fresno, Calif.
March 14, 2000
5,427
Fresno State 5, UCLA 4
Bulldog Diamond - Fresno, Calif.
Feb. 24, 1996
5,167
Fresno State 4, UCLA 2
Bulldog Diamond - Fresno, Calif.
Feb. 8, 1997
