2026 and then: Draper Diamond celebrates 20th anniversary

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Draper Diamond, Lipscomb’s softball field, named after the late Lassie Draper.

March 7, 2006, marked the first game on the new field, and Mary Pat Draper, the daughter of Lassie Draper, shared her experiences from that day.

“There was a very lovely reception beforehand, and lots of people came – friends and family and alumni,” Draper said. “I guess I just felt really proud putting our name out there like that.”

The Draper Diamond had a fitting name, as Draper Jewelry Co. sits across Granny White Pike from Lipscomb’s campus.

“Andy Lane, who used to work at Lipscomb in the athletic department, came to her with the idea of ‘Draper Diamond,’” Draper said.” It just seemed like a really good fit.”

The jersey that was given to Lassie Draper at the Draper Diamond dedication ceremony in March 2006.

Mark McGee wrote the original article when Draper Diamond was announced back in 2005. He recalled that this was a much-needed addition to Lipscomb University.

“We didn’t have a press box for a long time,” McGee said. “We would actually have a tent thing over it. If it sleeted or rained, we just had to cover everything the best we could; it was miserable.”

The Bisons’ getting a new field created not only a new place to watch Lipscomb softball but also a new team in Division I at the time and a place where legacies could be born.

“It was a huge addition,” McGee said. “We didn’t have anything for softball at the time, so it was great to have that place set up and ready to go.”

Twenty years is a milestone, and that should never be overlooked, but a field that was once a necessity has now become a historic part of Lipscomb University.

Since the opening season in 2006, Draper Diamond has seen two ASUN Championships: in 2010 and 2019.

The first game at Draper Diamond this season will be Feb. 27, when the Lady Bisons host Western Carolina University.