The complex is located adjacent to the school's Trees Hall and Cost Sports Center near the remainder of the university's other upper campus athletic facilities.

The university's baseball and softball teams had long been playing in what had been deemed as inadequate facilities on Trees Field tucked behind the school's indoor Cost Sports Center.

The Petersen Sports Complex hosted its first official athletic contest with a March 16, 2011 baseball game between Pitt and Kent State.

[7] Grand opening ceremonies, termed the "First Pitch Event", occurred on April 9, 2011, and featured contests involving all four sports teams that will use the facility.

In addition, the complex includes a two-story, 23,000-square-foot (2,100 m2) support building that houses locker rooms for each sport as well as dedicated equipment and athletic training facilities.

[11] A concessions area is located within the portion of the support building that runs along the southeast goal line of the Ambrose Urbanic soccer field.

Outside of the facility, a ticket book is adjacent to an entrance plaza that contains a depiction of the University of Pittsburgh's seal in its granite surface.

[12] The baseball facility includes the 900-seat Charles L. Cost Field, a press box, in-ground team dugouts, bullpens, and hitting and pitching practice areas.