Following Friday's ceremonial dedication game at Alumni Field at the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex, Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins was asked if the field was in fact dedicated.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said.

It wasn't so much that the Wolverines beat their intrastate rival Michigan State 10-0 in five innings. The usual story of Hutchins conquering her alma mater like she has eight of the last nine times was irrelevant.

Nor was it about Nikki Nemitz's game-ending grand slam after the sophomore ace shut out the Spartans from the pitcher's circle.

Sure, a game was played, but it was gravy on the day devoted to the people who made the new $4 million facility possible.

Playing their first four seasons at Mitchell Field and Elbel Field, the Wolverines took their place behind the Indoor Track and Field Building in 1982 at "Varsity Diamond," which later became Alumni Field.

Following the 2007 season, Alumni Field was destructed and a new $5.5 million field was built from the ground up. With fresh sod, new locker rooms and even a suite down the first-base line, Michigan has established a first-class facility begging to host a Super Regional.

But after all the renovations, the name that sits atop the scoreboard remains untouched.

"I'm most happy they still call it Alumni Field at the Wilpon Complex," Hutchins said. "For me, that's the highlight of my life."

Hutchins has always maintained a relationship with her players. When alumni come to Ann Arbor, she often takes the time to talk with them. Along with her is associate head coach and former player Bonnie Tholl. A 1991 graduate, Tholl keeps other softball alumni up-to-date with e-mails.

That connection brought more than 70 former Wolverines to Ann Arbor on Friday. Starting with a reception in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse, the dedication ceremony featured speeches by athletic director Bill Martin and 1985 alumna Mary Petrovich. After the early dinner, former infielder Stephanie Winter gave a tour of the new complex, including the photographic murals that grace the exterior.

Many murals along the grandstand depict program greats, but Hutchins intentionally placed Michigan's lone National Championship photo behind the Wolverine dugout.

"She said that she put it there so we have something to go look at when we come in every day and we have something to push and strive for," senior captain Samantha Findlay said.

Before the game, the remaining Michigan alumni stood along the infield donning maize shirts, except for Kathryn Gleason. Now the associate head coach at Michigan State, she sported green and white as she joined the line for the former Wolverines to be honored.

"For that moment, I stepped back into being a Michigan softball player," Gleason said. "It's been such a long time coming and overdue, especially for Hutch.

"Everything she's done for the program - I was just proud to be a part of it. To be out in the field with other alums was incredible."

Many like Gleason say the stadium is exactly what Hutchins deserves after spending 24 of the program's 31 seasons as head coach. But like any coach would say, a coach is only as good as her players.

"You know what, they just said they're so happy for me," Hutchins said. "I'm so happy for everybody because this is for everybody. Everybody was enjoying it so much. They're so proud of it. We have a fabulous tradition at Michigan softball, and they built it. They built this field."

According to Hutchins, the only moment that compares is the day after the Wolverines won the 2005 National Championship.

Despite the festivities, the current Wolverines weren't distracted against the Spartans. Emotionally withdrawn from the contest, Hutchins admitted that her players picked her up as eight-of-nine players hit safely.

But even on the path to write its own history, No. 6 Michigan took pride in recognizing the past.

"It just makes you appreciate everyone that came before you," junior Teddi Ewing said. "Just realizing that we're playing in an amazing program full of great tradition. It was just an honor to follow them."

- Ruth Lincoln contributed to this story