NORMAL, Ill. – The previously announced Illinois State baseball-specific hitting facility will be named the "Paul DeJong Baseball Training Facility" in recognition of DeJong's financial support of Redbird Athletics and Illinois State University.
Paul DeJong, a native of Antioch, Ill., is a 2015 graduate of the university and an alumnus of the Redbird Baseball program. While at Illinois State, DeJong hit .326 in 144 career games for the Redbirds, while hitting 23 home runs. He had a 3.76 GPA earning high honors in receiving a bachelor's degree in molecular biology-biochemistry, resulting in DeJong becoming a four-time recipient of the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award.