Andy Lopez has told anyone who will listen in Omaha of the importance of Arizona's move to Hi Corbett Field this season in helping get the Wildcats to the CWS.

The stadium had been the spring-training home of the Colorado Rockies until 2010. Built in 1927, Hi Corbett has undergone a series of renovations over the years.

The move was important, Lopez said, because it allowed the Wildcats to host the regional and super-regional rounds of the NCAA tournament. Arizona had not played at home in the tournament since 1992.

Lopez said the move away from Arizona's on-campus Sancet Stadium wasn't universally accepted by the program's fans.

"I got some real nice emails,'' Lopez said. "One said, 'You're not a true Wildcat. You're destroying the program, and that's obviously your goal.' Warm and fuzzy stuff.''

Lopez said that not only pressured him to put a good product on the field but put stress on the athletic department to make sure fans had a good experience at the new home.