NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- 2021 was an historic year for Old Dominion's baseball program. It also showed where the program needed to go.
The Monarchs grabbed the number 16 national seed, earning the right to host an NCAA Regional. However, the facilities were determined to be sub-par and not up to standards for holding the opening round of the tournament, so ODU was forced to hold its regional in Columbia, South Carolina.
"Not being able to host because the facility wasn't sufficient , to do that I think opened everybody's eyes," noted Old Dominion head baseball coach Chris Finwood.
With that in mind, a plan was unveiled this past December to renovate Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. It would upgrade the locker room facilities, press areas and give it more bells and whistles. The cost would be about $20 million. Priority Automotive Founder, President and CEO Dennis Ellmer, who is a big supporter of Monarch Athletics, remembers some of the hurdles.
"We thought we had some pretty big donors lined up," Ellmer recalled. "They kind of fell through and I could see the disappointment on some of the people at Old Dominion's faces that had worked so hard to make this happen."
After discussing it with his family, Ellmer stepped up to the plate. He and his wife, Jan, informed ODU President Dr. Brian Hemphill that they would donate $2.5 million towards the baseball stadium renovation project.
"He was thrilled, openly thrilled," the Priority executive said. "I was just glad that they were able to make that happen."
Ellmer is generous with his funds. The son of a marine, he climbed from the Ocean View section of Norfolk to the top of the business world. He and his family give to numerous charities and Old Dominion academic and athletic causes.
"To make a gift like this, for us it's unprecedented," Finwood pointed out.
"It's important to give and give back to the community that you live in," said Ellmer. "I hope that everybody knows that, no matter how big or small the gift is, it's important."
His gift to the Monarch baseball team is a huge step. Finwood estimates that the fundraising effort is more than three-quarters of the way complete. The renovation will be crucial in keeping pace with the Monarchs' Sun Belt foes, where many of the baseball facilities are state-of-the-art.
"We don't need the best facility, we just need a better facility and we're working hard to get there," the head coach said.
"Competition steps up a little bit in the Sun Belt as we're seeing with the football program as well, so it will be exciting," Ellmer added.
It will also be exciting for Finwood to oversee the transition into a new facility, as well as for Ellmer and his family to watch baseball in a park that bears their name. The new stadium will be known as the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex.
"To be a part of a major renovation of a new ballpark is a nice little feather in your cap when you're in charge of the program," noted Finwood. "It also means that you've been doing pretty well where people want to support you."
"They deserve it," Ellmer added. "[I] can't wait for it to be built, can't wait for us to get back out there and get this next season going."
A timeline for the completion of the project has yet to be finalized as it awaits state approval.
