| Rhoads Stadium | |
| Fullname: | John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium |
| Location: | 321 5th Avenue Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| Coordinates: | 33.2133°N -87.5304°W |
| Opened: | February 23, 2000 |
| Owner: | University of Alabama |
| Operator: | UA Athletics |
| Surface: | Natural grass |
| Construction Cost: | $2.2 million |
| Architect: | Rosser International |
| General Contractor: | N. C. Morgan Construction |
| Former Names: | Alabama Softball Complex (2000–2010) |
| Tenants: | Alabama Crimson Tide Softball (NCAA) 2000–present |
| Capacity: | 3,940 |
| Dimensions: | Left Field: 200 ft Center Field: 220 ft Right Field: 200 ft |
| Scoreboard: | Video board and full box score LED scoreboard by Daktronics |
The John and Ann Rhoads Softball Stadium (frequently shortened to Rhoads Stadium) is a college softball stadium located on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It serves as the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team and is located on the corner of Peter Bryce Boulevard and Campus Drive on the northeast corner of campus. The Crimson Tide's all-time record at Rhoads Stadium is 316–50 . It is the largest softball stadium affiliated with an individual university with an official capacity of 3,940.[1] After they played their first season at Sokol Park and at Bowers Park for both the 1998 and 1999 seasons, the Crimson Tide opened Rhoads Stadium on February 23, 2000, with a 7–1 victory over the UAB Blazers.[2] [3]
John L. Rhoads was a graduate of the University of Alabama and a long-time partner at accounting firm Ernst & Ernst. He died in 2001.[4]
While the general use of the Rhoads Stadium is the regular season home of the Crimson Tide, it has also played host to a number of different events including multiple post season NCAA and SEC tournaments, as well as marquee exhibition games.
| Year | Event | Participants | Champion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Chattanooga, Illinois-Chicago, Michigan, Oregon State, South Florida | Michigan | |
| 2003 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Chattanooga, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Massachusetts, Southern, Southern Illinois, Stanford | Alabama | |
| 2004 | SEC tournament | Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee | LSU | |
| 2005 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Arizona State, Hofstra, Mississippi Valley St. | Alabama | |
| 2005 | Super Regional | Alabama, Texas A&M | Alabama | |
| 2006 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Florida A&M, Georgia Tech, Mississippi Valley St. | Alabama | |
| 2006 | Super Regional | Alabama, Stanford | Alabama | |
| 2007 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, California, Florida State, Tennessee Tech | Alabama | |
| 2008 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Chattanooga, Florida State, Jacksonville State | Alabama | |
| 2008 | Super Regional | Alabama, Missouri | Alabama | |
| 2009 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Chattanooga, Mississippi Valley State, Texas | Alabama | |
| 2009 | Super Regional | Alabama, Jacksonville State | Alabama | |
| 2010 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Alcorn State, Lipscomb, UAB | Alabama | |
| 2010 | Super Regional | Alabama, Hawai'i | Hawai'i | |
| 2011 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Chattanooga, Jackson State, Memphis | Alabama | |
| 2011 | Super Regional | Alabama, Stanford | Alabama | |
| 2012 | SEC tournament | Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee | Alabama | |
| 2012 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Tennessee-Martin, Georgia Tech, South Alabama | Alabama | |
| 2012 | Super Regional | Alabama, Michigan | Alabama | |
| 2013 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Western Kentucky, South Carolina Upstate, Jacksonville State | Alabama | |
| 2014 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, SIU Edwardsville, USC Upstate, South Alabama | Alabama | |
| 2014 | Super Regional | Alabama, Nebraska | Alabama | |
| 2015 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Fairfield, Washington, USC Upstate | Alabama | |
| 2015 | Super Regional | Alabama, Oklahoma | Alabama | |
| 2016 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Samford, California, North Dakota | Alabama | |
| 2016 | Super Regional | Alabama, Washington | Alabama | |
| 2017 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Minnesota, Albany, Louisiana Tech | Alabama | |
| 2018 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Oregon State, Wisconsin | Alabama | |
| 2019 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Alabama State, Lipscomb, Arizona State | Alabama | |
| 2019 | Super Regional | Alabama, Texas | Alabama | |
| 2021 | SEC tournament | Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss | Alabama | |
| 2021 | NCAA Regional | Alabama, Alabama State, Clemson, Troy | Alabama | |
| 2021 | Super Regional | Alabama, Kentucky | Alabama | |
| Reference:[5] | ||||
As the program has continued to grow, attendance at Rhoads Stadium has continued to increase. In 2010, the Crimson Tide established a new single season, NCAA attendance record with 63,271 fans in attendance over the course of their 28 home dates.[6] Their record was subsequently broken by Arizona in 2011 when the Wildcats saw 72,545 fans in attendance over the course of their 28 home dates.[6] Prior to the 2012 season, Rhoads Stadium saw its capacity increase to 3,940, and Alabama reached that capacity for the first time on April 14, 2012, in a 7–5 win against South Carolina to set a new school, single-game attendance record.[7] These attendance records are more easily reached given the only softball stadium with more capacity in the United States is the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium (the home stadium of the NCAA Softball World Series).[1]