USM Students on Award-Winning Grounds Crew

The Northern League pro baseball league has named the T-Bones home field at CommunityAmerica Ballpark as the organization's 2009 Playing Surface of the Year. The honor is a feather in the collective caps of the park's grounds crew-a group that includes two University of Saint Mary sports management majors.

Glen Aveson, a 2009 USM graduate, and Saint Mary student Justin Keeton, were among the award-winning grounds crew. They worked under Joey Fitzgerald, head groundskeeper for the T-Bones.

"We are proud of Joey and his crew," said general manager Chris Browne. "Along with our operations manager Rylan Brody and the rest of the operations staff, our field and stadium crews handle whatever issues that might present themselves quickly and professionally. This is a great honor and reward for the hours they put in."

The award is the first such received by CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Last year, the award went to Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Ill.