Catholic University Softball Field - Catholic Cardinals

Photos courtesy of Gregory Koch

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71

Catholic University Softball Field

4400 John McCormack Rd NE

Washington, DC 20011

Catholic Cardinals website

Catholic University Softball Field website

Year Opened: 2007

Capacity: 100 (approx.)

Fear the Catholic Cardinals

Located in Washington, DC, the Catholic University of America is the only pontifical university in the United States. For those who are unaware, a pontifical university is a college established by the Vatican and dedicated to the purpose of religious studies.

The CUA's athletic programs are known as the Cardinals and compete at the Division III level in the Landmark Conference. Catholic's softball team plays on campus at a stadium that has the uninspired but simple name of Catholic University Softball Field. Located adjacent to several other Catholic athletic facilities, this is a simple turf field with a small set of bleachers. In 2022, lights were added to enable night games.

Food & Beverage 0

There are no concession stands at the Catholic University Softball Field. If you really want something to eat or drink, you can walk past the baseball and football stadiums into the DuFour Center, where you will find some vending machines in the lobby. Fans are also free to bring their own food and drink, except alcohol, which may be the better option.

Atmosphere 3

Catholic University Softball Field is a very simple venue, with a few rows of bleachers behind home plate. There is also a hill in the outfield, where many fans like to sit in their own chairs, or simply stand and watch the game. The downside of being in the outfield is that you will not be able to see the scoreboard, as you will be looking at the back of it. Speaking of the scoreboard, it just shows very basic information.

There is not much going on other than the game itself here. There is some music during breaks in the action, and a PA announcer, but that is about it.

Neighborhood 4

Catholic University is located in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, D.C. This neighborhood is sometimes called "Little Rome" due to the large number of Catholic institutions. In addition to CUA, there are several other Catholic high schools, colleges, and other institutions, as well as the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

There are certainly other places to go in Brookland as well. Busboys and Poets is a popular bookstore, coffee shop, and restaurant located across Michigan Avenue from the south side of campus. The Brookland Pint is a popular bar serving beer and burgers. The Brookland Grill on 12th Street is a more affordable option.

Fans 4

Most of the fans at a Catholic softball game are friends and family of the players, many of whom go to just about every game. The bleachers may be small, but they are mostly full of fans decked out in Catholic's colors of red, white, and black, ready to cheer their team on to victory. They are deeply knowledgeable about Catholic softball, its players, and its history. Since most of the Catholic opponents are located in the Mid-Atlantic region, expect a lot of visiting fans as well.

Access 3

There are many options for arriving at the Catholic campus, but once you're there, getting to and around the softball field is tricky. Parking lots are available near Carlini Field and the DuFour Center, with the softball field being located between the two. To get there from the Carlini lot, you will walk down a long flight of steps, which is easy enough until you remember you have to walk back up it after the game.

From the DuFour lot, walk through the DuFour Center, and the football stadium, and past the baseball field, and the softball field will be ahead on your left. You may need to pay to park through an app. Signs in the DuFour Center lot indicate that you need to. There are no such signs in the Carlini lot, and we were able to park there without issue for free when we attended, but when we attended a baseball game a week later and parked in the same lot, the app indicated we did need to pay. You may want to do so just to be safe and avoid a costly ticket or towing.

Alternatively, you can take public transit. Catholic University Softball Field is located about halfway between the Brookland-CUA stop on Metro's Red Line and the Fort Totten station on the Red, Green, and Yellow Lines. It is about a 15-20 minute walk from both. You can sometimes hear trains going by on the tracks nearby while the game is in progress - unfortunately, there is no station right there, so you will have to walk a bit.

There are no restrooms at Catholic University Softball Field, but there are standard bathrooms in Carlini Field and the DuFour Center, a short walk away. Alternatively, you can use a couple of port-a-potties by the baseball field closer by.

Walking the final few steps to the bleachers or Port-a-Potties involves walking through dirt, which will turn to mud if it has rained at any point in the past few days. There is no way to avoid walking through it if that happens, so wear shoes you are not afraid to get muddy. Some people had also tracked mud into the porta-potties, and the floor was covered in it, or at least that's what we hope happened.

Return on Investment 4

There is no charge for admission to Catholic softball games, though you may need to park. Overall, it is a good value, but there isn't enough here to earn the top score.

Extras 1

We'll give a bonus star here for the multiple vantage points to watch a game - the home plate bleachers and the hill in the outfield.

Final Thoughts

Catholic University Softball Field is a basic venue without much going on. However, with several vantage points to take in a game, and no real cost to attend, it is still worth a visit.