The University of Virginia's College at Wise Athletics

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Bill Gatton Softball Field

Bill Gatton Field (formerly Cavalier Field) has been the home of UVA Wise softball since 2005. The field officially opened on February 25, 2005 when UVA Wise hosted Bluefield College in an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader. Since then the field has hosted numerous UVA Wise and local high school games. In 2017 the school and the field hosted the NCAA Atlantic 1 Regional Tournament.

The field replaced Hilltop Field, which was the home of Clinch Valley College/UVA Wise softball from 1996-2004. It was located on top of the hill to the north of Bill Gatton Field and is currently the site of the intramural fields. The 2004 team sent that field out in style as they defeated Milligan on April 24, 2004, the final day of the regular season, to claim the Appalachian Athletic Conference regular season title.

At 2,535 feet above sea level, it is the third-highest collegiate softball field in the Eastern United States. Only the softball fields at Lees-McRae (3,650 ft) and Appalachian State (3,323 ft) are higher. Nearby rival Concord University's field is just behind UVA Wise on the list at 2,525 feet.

The complex includes full dugouts, seating for 450 in three permanent areas behind home plate and bleacher seats in left field, and a press box. New to the field in 2024 are expanded fully-enclosed batting cages on the home (north) dugout side and pitching bullpens at the end of both dugouts. Ample parking is available on the southwest end of the complex.

Lights were first added in 2008 and after the 2023 season the original Bluegrass surface was taken up and replaced by a Field Turf Triple Threat surface that caused an expansion of the playing area. A new scoreboard was also installed on May 2, 2024.

The field was unofficially named Cavalier Field (a carryover from the old softball field although that field was more commonly known as the Hilltop Field) from it's inception until Nov. 4, 2024, when it was announced that the field had been named as the Bill Gatton Softball Field.

DIRECTIONS
From Downtown Wise: Follow East Main Street to Darden Road/Coeburn Mountain Road/VA 646. Turn right and follow past main campus entrance to Cavalier Road. Turn left and pass Greear Gym/Swimming Pool on right. Bill Gatton Field is up on hill to right. 

NOTE FOR VISITING TEAMS
If you are playing UVA Wise, bat testing is held in the lobby of Greear Gym.