The Fullerton College softball players sit on the folded chairs behind home plate, while waiting for the announcement of their new softball facility. Then, one-by-one, each player is announced by Co-Head Coach Marian “Speedy” Mendoza, as they take photos in front of the podium placed on the field to reveal the current team and the project of their new softball facility. After winning a state title a year ago, the Hornets got rewarded with what they needed most.
In 2023, The Hornet led an investigation into possible Title IX issues with the field. Lack of proper bathrooms, poorly maintained field conditions and no team locker room are just some of the highlighted problems the team faced.
Title IX comes into play when comparing the Fullerton College baseball field to the notorious softball field. Article 1.5.4 of the CCCAA Constitution and Bylaws states that schools must be compliant with state and federal Title IX laws pertaining to equitable opportunities for men and women.

When taking into account the disparity between the male and female facilities, it provoked questions of fairness. However, to be a formal complaint, a lawsuit must be filed. No litigation was ultimately submitted, but shortly after the investigation went live, President Cynthia Olivo met with the team and pledged to find a solution.
President Olivo officially announced renovations being made to the softball field in a press conference on Feb. 25. The team will finally get the much-needed improvements and the facility will debut in spring 2027.
“We’re very appreciative of [Olivo]. She stepped in right away as the new president and addressed all of the situation and some of the problems we were having,” Mendoza said. “We met one-on-one with her staff and it’s going in a great direction.”
These plans include a 16 foot extension of the field from the parking lot to make room for the Hornets and visitor teams in the dugout, locker rooms, a coach’s office, a press box area, a concession stand, a batting cage, more stands and storage facilities.

Currently, players have adopted a shed to serve as their locker room. Before the shed, players would have to change in their cars, which was one of the main issues that needed to be addressed. Even though the shed is better than changing in their cars, the players and coaches still feel the need for an upgraded locker room.
“We do have a team room right now, but it’s really small,” said Fullerton second baseman Zoey Bautista “It’s really important for us to have space to change and to walk in before games and have fun in there with each other.”
Mendoza was excited about how the locker rooms can be used for more than a changing room. The locker room can be used for the players to place their own softball gear, such as bats and gloves, within the individual lockers that will be provided to each athlete.
Currently, the players place most of their equipment on the floor in the shed next to each other, not knowing where they left their gear after practice or a game. Mendoza believes that the locker rooms will minimize any issues of players losing their own gear and having to replace it.
“They’re locked in a shed sometimes and it’s not very safe. Having locker rooms is definitely going to keep their equipment safe. They’re not going to lose gloves and they will have their own area to store stuff that we haven’t had for years,” said Mendoza.

The locker rooms for Fullerton and the visiting team will be located behind their respective dugouts as a team room to allow easier access to change or use the showers if necessary. The lack of restrooms also became a rising issue, forcing players and coaches to constantly use the porta-potties in between innings.
“We had porta-potties for a lot of years and I think the unsanitary part of it is the girls having under sliding stuff, you’re sweating when trying to take everything off in between innings,” said Mendoza. “It was hard for us coaches to use the restroom in between innings. You were making it in there and you have to call pitches and be on the bases.”
“It’s very frustrating when we have to use the restroom and then have to run all the way across campus to use an actual bathroom,” said pitcher Hope Morales.
Besides the locker rooms and restrooms, the bullpens and batting cages were another issue that players and coaches wanted to be improved. Currently, the bullpen serves as a batting cage, so the pitchers and hitters would have to share the location and take turns using the facility to work out.
“Having a good batting cage to where your team can come in, on off days and do extra work. I feel like that is a really big thing for us,” said Bautista, explaining how important it was to have batting cages during practice.
Mendoza said she is looking forward to the new bullpen and batting cages.

“We don’t have to use our pitching area with hitting at the same time. We always have to finagle our practices. I think having two separate areas that we were able to hit,” said Mendoza. “The upgrades are going to help tremendously.”
The new facility will allow extra time for players before or after practice, and during their off days to put in extra work outside of school and their jobs.
With the bullpen and batting cages being upgraded, the players were having issues during games with a small dugout. Bautista felt the need for a deeper dugout.
“I feel like ours right now is a little squished sometimes because we have so many girls on the team. We need a little more space in the dugout and to be closer to the plays and to the plate, so we can feel more connected,” said Bautista.
Dugouts will be extended out, which will allow more space for the coaches and players to maneuver in and out. This will allow the players more space to place their equipment in cubbies, instead of being on the benches or along the fence.
The coaches will have their own office next to the dugout with access to printers, computers and phones. The new office will allow the coaches to have more flexibility with their players to assist them before and after practice. Mendoza was excited about an office being built.

“That’s what I’m excited about the most. We spend most of our hours here. Outside of our coaching and teaching hours, we’re here working one-on-one with our kids and it’s important that we can do our own printing and not have to walk back-and-forth to our office from here,” said Mendoza. “It’s sometimes a hassle.”
Mendoza was the original advocate for these issues. Back in 2023, she took to social media to air out her frustrations. While news of these problems is fairly recent, Mendoza says it has been going on much longer than it might seem.
“I’ve been here 26 seasons, I came in 1994 and when I came in that’s what we had,” said Mendoza.
Mendoza discussed the offseason plans of using the current facility and how next season will impact finding a temporary home field.
“We will be here through the fall of 2025. In 2026, we will be working on a facility where we will be playing at. We have options, so we are trying to look at Cal State Fullerton, find out if we can do something there. If not, then Lions Field or Bastanchury Park. That’s the three facilities we’re leaning towards,” said Mendoza.