Justin and Kristen Ishbia are both alumni of Michigan State University.

Justin Ishbia is the brother of Mat Ishbia, who played for Tom Izzo and MSU men's basketball's national championship team in 2000. He was an Eli Broad College of Business graduate in 2000 and is a part owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury alongside Mat Ishbia as of late 2022. Kristen was a College of Education student; she graduated with a Kinesiology degree in 2008.

MSU baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. said the entire team was excited when they found out about the donation, and the commitment the Ishbias made to the athletic department is “incredible.”

“We’re always looking for ways to take the program forward, and obviously you can’t do it without a lot of help from a lot of people,” Boss Jr. said. “To have the Ishbia family on board, and because Justin and Kristen have been so generous, we’re excited for what’s next for Spartan baseball out here.”

Soon MSU's baseball field will have a new name: Jeff Ishbia Field, named after Justin and Mat's father. As the program is retiring John Kobs Field, Boss Jr. said he plans to celebrate Kobs' legacy in some way during the field's name transition.

“We’ll do something to commemorate him and keep that name alive as well,” Boss Jr. said. “Maybe something in the common area so everyone that walks will pass by something that recognizes John Kobs.” 

Boss Jr. said he isn’t sure when or how the baseball program will use the donation, nor the timing of it, as the program is amidst gathering the finer details. Currently, the team is just grateful. 

“I think when you get a gift like that, and you get the recognition from somebody like Justin Ishbia, it’s a testament to our guys that what they do here matters," Boss Jr. said.