FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

East Los Angeles College Celebrates Grand Re-Opening of Modernized Baseball Stadium with Dedication Ceremony

College officials, students, and alumni will join together on January 20 to commemorate with ribbon cutting ceremony and baseball game

Monterey Park, Calif. (Jan. 18, 2007) Celebrating the recent completion of modernization projects to improve its baseball field and stadium, East Los Angeles College (ELAC) officials will commemorate the event with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 20 at 11 a.m.  Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) officials will join ELAC Interim President Robert Isomoto, college staff, former coaches and alumni in the ceremony.  Immediately following the ceremony, ELAC will host an alumni baseball game utilizing the new amenities of the stadium and field.

The newly modernized facility, which was funded by the LACCD's $2.2 billion Proposition A/AA Bond Program, includes: dugouts; barrier fence; state-of-the-art training center that houses a fully equipped locker room; rehabilitation training room designed to prevent and treat injuries; announcer’s booth; and coaches’ offices.

“We want to be good neighbors so we installed 75-foot fences to protect street traffic, our Child Development Center, and homes located on Bleakwood Avenue from foul balls," said Isomoto.

The improved baseball field and new facilities will also be a huge attraction for student-athletes that are being recruited by ELAC's Baseball Coach, James Hines.

 “This new field will be a way to encourage talented young players to continue their education and play baseball here at East L.A. College,” said Hines.

ELAC's baseball season opens on Jan. 26 with a home game against Consumnes River College. Under Hines, ELAC's Huskies baseball team has won South Coast Conference titles in 2000, 2004 and 2005. He has guided teams to the state playoffs four times, and to State finals in 2000.

ELAC's successful baseball team has had a number of players that either transferred to four-year colleges and universities, or have gone on to sign with major league teams.  Current ELAC outfielder Eric Stephens has already signed a letter of intent with Cal State Fullerton. Stephens, who attended Monrovia High School, was named to the All-South Coast Conference and All Southern California regional team in 2006. He will transfer to Fullerton after the 2007 season.

East Los Angeles College is now in its 62nd year of serving the cities and communities of Alhambra, Bell, Bell Gardens, Boyle Heights, Commerce, Cudahy, East Los Angeles, El Sereno, Highland Park, Huntington Park, Lincoln Heights, Maywood, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, South Gate, and South San Gabriel.

            The Los Angeles Community College District’s construction and modernization projects receive funding from Propositions A/AA, two bond measures overwhelmingly approved by Los Angeles voters in 2001 and 2003. Propositions A/AA are providing more than $2.2 billion for new construction and renovations at each of the LACCD's nine colleges.  For more information, visit the construction program’s website at www.PropositionA.org.

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