UVA Overcomes Ice Storm to Host Opening Weekend Games

Massive team effort clears snow and ice from baseball and softball fields in time for season openers.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The University of Virginia faced a major challenge in getting its baseball and softball fields ready for opening weekend after a heavy snowstorm left Disharoon Park and Palmer Park covered in 7 inches of packed ice. It took a massive team effort involving the athletic department, facilities staff, and the coaches and players themselves to clear the fields in time for the first games. Despite the difficult conditions, the Cavaliers were able to open their seasons as scheduled, with the baseball team defeating Wagner 13-7 and the softball team routing Delaware State 20-0.

Why it matters

The ability to host the opening games was crucial for UVA's baseball and softball programs, which rely on home games and fan support to build momentum for their seasons. The lingering ice and snow threatened to disrupt the teams' preparations and force them to find alternate venues or postpone games. The successful effort to clear the fields highlights the dedication of the UVA facilities staff and the determination of the coaches and players to overcome the challenging conditions.

The details

With about 7 inches of packed ice frozen solid on the surfaces at Disharoon Park and Palmer Park, it took a massive team effort to get the fields ready. The UVA facilities staff, led by Associate Athletic Director for Facilities John Welch and Director of Sports Turf Maintenance Jesse Pritchard, worked tirelessly to clear the ice, using tractors, shovels, and 1,000-1,500 pounds of black kiln dried sand per day to expedite the melting process. The baseball and softball coaching staffs also pitched in, with the baseball team spending about 18 hours shoveling over three days to clear their field.

  • On January 24-25, heavy snow and ice fell in the Charlottesville area.
  • For the next three weeks, temperatures remained below freezing, leaving the UVA facilities packed under a layer of ice.
  • The women's lacrosse team's February 6 season-opener was moved to the Lower Turf field.
  • The men's lacrosse team opened against Colgate on February 8, winning 19-14 at the indoor facility.
  • The baseball and softball teams opened their seasons on February 17.

The players

Chris Pollard

First-year UVA baseball coach.

John Welch

UVA's Associate Athletic Director for Facilities.

Jesse Pritchard

UVA Director of Sports Turf Maintenance.

Joanna Hardin

UVA softball coach.

Elliott Biskup

UVA Athletics Maintenance.

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What they’re saying

“It was unbelievable just the way everybody worked together. Everybody was just so tireless in their efforts. Chipping ice all the way up until about 12 p.m. today, right about the time we were about to start BP. I'm so happy to not see ice out here on this field, I don't know what to do with myself.”

— Chris Pollard, First-year UVA baseball coach (Cville Right Now)

“Without the baseball staff, that 3-acre piece of property would not have been clear for their home series. They were pretty incredible.”

— Jesse Pritchard, UVA Director of Sports Turf Maintenance (Cville Right Now)

“Jesse Pritchard and his staff have been amazing and worked so diligently and so hard to make sure our field looked great. It's phenomenal and it's done really well. The only way we were able to open up today, and we threw this earlier game in a couple of weeks ago, was because of his staff and our facilities staff of John Welch and Ryan Paddock and their whole crew.”

— Joanna Hardin, UVA softball coach (Cville Right Now)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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