Queens College has received multiple reports regarding the safety of community members and students because of the limited safety netting at Hennekens Stadium – a facility used by the QC men’s baseball team. The matter was originally brought to QC’s attention on May 6th, 2025 by Jordan Skopp, the founder of Foul Ball Safety Now! – after Skopp was informed by an anonymous source from the QC men’s baseball team.
As of the date of this article’s publication, QC has yet to publicly address the safety concerns relayed from Foul Ball Safety Now!
“We remain concerned about the stadium’s physical layout and its relationship to the broader community, including the proximity of the field to PS/IS 499 School. The potential for injury to students, school staff, and other community members because of foul balls leaving the field is real. In our view, the combination of limited netting and the stadium’s placement next to a school raises questions about whether sufficient precautions are in place to protect the public,” said Skopp in a July 23rd email sent to Robert Twible, Director of Athletics and Recreation at the college.
The risk that is associated with athletes practicing and community members being nearby warrant serious attention. Among the concerns shared by the QC men’s baseball team is the risk of unsuspecting students and community members being seriously harmed because of the foul balls that fly out of Hennekens Stadium.
“These players say they’re wondering among themselves who might be the unlucky batter who seriously injures or kills an unsuspecting pedestrian on the sidewalk on Reeves Ave or a child in the adjoining schoolyards of PS 499,” said Skopp in a letter to Queens College and PS 499 on May 6th.
Skopp argues that the lack of safety netting at Hennekens Stadium can lead to increased anxiety amongst the players, student athletes should not have to worry about the potential harm they may cause to others while playing the sport they love.
Skopp believes that a dialogue and systematic review is needed to address the matter. The NCAA Constitution states that, “Each member institution shall facilitate an environment that reinforces physical and mental health within athletics by ensuring access to appropriate resources and open engagement with respect to physical and mental health.” A direct statement on this matter has not been provided to the student athletes of QC and the community.
The risks displayed at Hennekens Stadium are not limited to the QC community. There is a nation-wide pattern of the risks associated with foul balls flying outside of ballparks with limited netting. There are a number of cases where people have gotten seriously injured and sustained life-changing injuries due to unpredictable foul balls. The safety of pedestrians walking by ballparks should be addressed with the utmost importance to ensure that people in the community feel safe, and so athletes can perform without pressure.
The Knight News reached out to Twible regarding how QC will address the matter at Hennekens Stadium. “Queens College is in full compliance with NCAA safety regulations. The college has received no substantiated reports of safety concerns directly from members of the campus community or accredited media outlets. The well-being of the campus community is paramount, and we offer counseling and support services to students who may be experiencing difficulty in their academic or personal lives. We are exploring the feasibility of installing additional barriers to further augment our ongoing commitment to a safe and secure environment. The safety of everyone on campus and in the surrounding community is of utmost importance.”
