For the second time in three years, the Saint John’s University campus has been featured in Finance and Commerce’s annual list of the state’s top projects.
The Saint John’s University baseball clubhouse – located adjacent to Haugen Field at Becker Park – was named as one of the statewide magazine’s top projects of 2024.
The facility – which opened in February of 2024 – features 51 lockers (plus six in the coaches’ area), showers and bathrooms, a satellite training room, a laundry room, a meeting room, a coaches’ office and a rooftop deck that can be used for viewing baseball games, as well as for tailgating prior to football games in the fall.
The project was made possible thanks to donations from Johnnie baseball alumni, parents and friends.
Leading that effort was the Becker family. Scott Becker ’77, a former football and baseball player at SJU, served as a volunteer assistant on the baseball coaching staff for eight seasons. In addition, he is a founder of Northstar Capital, a leading private equity firm based in Minneapolis.
Becker, his wife Julie and their family also provided the exceptional leadership gift that made Becker Park – which features a modern turf field, spacious grandstands and press box and a surrounding plaza area – possible.
“The clubhouse is truly state-of-the-art and a major addition to our facilities here at Saint John’s,” said Scott Lieser, who was named the school’s head baseball coach last month after spending the past seven seasons as an assistant to legendary coach Jerry Haugen, who retired after 48 seasons at the helm, but will serve as coach emeritus in 2026.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have alumni and friends who care deeply about Saint John’s baseball and made the clubhouse possible. Whenever we bring someone through — especially into the locker room — their reaction says it all. It’s a special space that reflects the pride and support of our community, and it makes a real difference for everyone in our program.”
The clubhouse joins the Saint Elizabeth Seton Village townhomes and Nicol Bridge on the SJU campus – which opened in the fall of 2022 – and made Finance and Commerce’s list of the top projects of that year.
“This project is a clear example of our facilities master plan, Elevate Together, coming to life,” CSB and SJU Physical Plant director Russ Klein said. “It’s proof that when purpose, partnership and strategic planning align, real progress happens – and students benefit.”