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PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Construction on Rutgers' first major athletic facility in seven years officially got underway with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Fred Hill Training Complex held Saturday, Oct. 24.

Rutgers University Chancellor Richard Edwards, athletic director Julie Hermann, baseball coach Joe Litterio, softball coach Jay Nelson and Fred Hill all took part in the event.

The $3.3 million project - all funds were privately raised - will be located in the parking lot situated between Bainton Field and the Softball Complex. The 22,500-square foot facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art pitching machines, multiple batting cages, bullpen mounds and a full turf infield.

The complex is named after Hall of Fame baseball coach Fred Hill, who led the Rutgers baseball program from 1984 to 2014, winning 941 games during his time in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights earned 11 NCAA Regional appearances, 12 regular-season conference championships and eight conference tournament titles during the veteran mentor's watch. He was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January and was installed into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame during September ceremonies.

"We are thrilled to be able to complete fundraising for this key building for baseball and softball," Hermann said. "We are so indebted to our supporters who made this possible. This is the first time in a while at Rutgers that we have been able to build a key training complex for our athletic teams."

Litterio called the facility "a game-changer."

"We can now tell recruits we have this - it is no longer just a drawing," he said. "That makes an impression. Our team can now put in the work in a building dedicated to baseball and softball at any time. I want to thank the donors and alumni who helped make this possible. This is a very important project for us."

Nelson said the complex "puts us closer to being on an even par with the other programs in the Big Ten."

"More importantly," he added, "it shows to our recruits the commitment of our athletic department to the softball and baseball programs and to the rest of the Olympic sports."

With the baseball and softball programs beginning preseason practice in January, the teams will eventually have a dedicated home to prepare for upcoming seasons when the weather is not ideal to be outside. The Fred Hill Training Complex will allow for practices to be scheduled at times most conducive to student-athlete success - both on the field and in the classroom. It will additionally free up more time in the Bubble for other programs. The venue will also permit offseason camps and clinics, giving more opportunities to raise funds and elevate the programs within the amateur community.

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