OMAHA, Neb. — Early in the morning on Sept. 3, 2010, hours after the final out in the history of Rosenblatt Stadium was recorded, Matt Kozeal crawled into bed. He pulled his awakened wife, Rachel, close and spoke the words that resonated with hundreds in their community.
“I just don’t want it to be over,” he said.
Fifteen years later, the memory brings tears to her eyes.
“It was so hard,” Rachel Kozeal said, “because we loved Rosenblatt.”
The old South Omaha stadium, home to the College World Series for 61 years, was demolished in 2012 after the opening of a downtown facility, now known as Charles Schwab Field. The new park has allowed the CWS to remain here and thrive as Omaha celebrates the 75th anniversary of its marriage to this annual June event.
Matt and Rachel’s son Cam, the oldest of seven Kozeal children raised in Omaha, played second base Saturday night for Arkansas as part of a meaningful Father’s Day weekend for the Kozeals. Cam went 1-for-3 in the Razorbacks’ 4-1 loss to LSU.
“Just full circle,” Rachel said last week, again fighting back emotions.
The Omaha Kid pic.twitter.com/MK5XpnwoNH
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 12, 2025
The Kozeal homecoming symbolizes a link to Omaha’s CWS history.
Matt Kozeal assisted with game operations…
