Harmon Stadium | Dusty Rhodes Field

SPORTS HOME: Baseball
Capacity: 1,000 | Built: 1988

North Florida's Harmon Stadium | Dusty Rhodes Field is an outstanding college baseball facility. The stadium has a superb lighting system, home and visitor locker rooms with showers, concession stand, press box, seating for 1,000 fans in chair back and bench back seats. The field itself has one of the finest playing surfaces in the country.

The stadium was named in honor of Doug and Linda Harmon for their generous contribution to its construction costs. The Harmons pledged matching grants of $25,000 to the baseball stadium in 1990 and $10,000 in 1991.

"In order to establish a great athletic program, you must have people who are willing to support you from the community," said former UNF Head Coach Dusty Rhodes. "Without Doug and Linda's support, we could not have accomplished so much in such a short period of time. They truly have been a key in the winning program at UNF. We always will be grateful to them."

Stadium dimensions measure 325 feet down the right and left field foul lines, 365 feet up the power alleys and 400 feet to center. During the years of Harmon Stadium's existence, it has not only hosted some of the state's top baseball tournaments, including the 1996 USA Baseball Junior Team International Challenge Cup, but also welcomed a who's who of college baseball's top programs. Power 5 Conference members like Florida, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Illinois, Missouri and Rutgers have all played the Ospreys at Harmon Stadium.

The stadium has also hosted various baseball tournaments, including the Kennel Club Classic from 2007-2010, as well as camps and clinics. For more than a decade, the UNF coaching staff worked with Rick Wilkins and other Major League players to host the Rick Wilkins Foundation Baseball Clinic.

North Florida and Harmon Stadium served as the host of the ASUN Baseball Championship in May of 2018.

In 2022, UNF upgraded the lighting system for the facility thanks to a partnership with Graybar and NGU Sports Lighting, LLC.

James J. Patton Osprey Nest
In 1994, UNF unveiled the James J. Patton Osprey Nest. Construction of the facility was made possible through a six-figure gift from the Jacksonville and Orange Park Kennel Clubs. Dedication of the Osprey Nest took place on March 5, 1994.

The "Nest" is a fully enclosed seating area, complete with kitchen facilities and restrooms and is available for use by groups for special functions. Visiting teams can also use the Osprey Nest for alumni or postgame functions. Along the rear wall of the Nest is the Osprey Baseball Wall of Fame, with photos of each Osprey baseball All-America player, yearly team photos along with each media guide.

Dusty Rhodes Field and Batting Facility
University of North Florida former baseball coach Dusty Rhodes came to Jacksonville in 1987 hoping to build a nationally competitive program and leave a lasting legacy. Rhodes guided the Osprey for 23 years (1988-2010) and led the program to over 900 wins, five appearances in the College World Series (NAIA & NCAA DII) and 16 conference titles. On Mar. 6, 2010, UNF Athletics renamed the field at Harmon Stadium in honor of the legendary Rhodes.

Previously, Athletics had dedicated the Dusty Rhodes Batting Facility also in his honor. The covered facility, which cost $150,000 to construct, includes two full hitting cages, three hitting stations and two pitching machines. It also features two covered pitching workout areas. The idea of building the facility came from four former presidents of the Osprey Club, the primary athletics booster group at UNF. Doug Harmon, Gerry Hurst, Dave Polovina and Dottie Dorion spearheaded the fundraising process. The facility is used in a variety of capacities, both for instruction of UNF athletes and students as well as local youth players.