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Athletics
Facilities
University Field Construction (Summer, 2005)updated
08/28/2007
See the most recent photos
of the construction
See pictures from the first
practices at University Field
May 4, 2005
MAJOR
RENOVATIONS SET TO BEGIN ON KUTZTOWN’S UNIVERSITY FIELD
KUTZTOWN, PA –
Kutztown University will soon begin major renovations to
University Field, the home of the Golden Bear football, track &
field teams and future home of the field hockey team.
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Construction to install
artificial turf and lights is set to begin on May 9 at
University Field. |
Beginning on May 9, construction will begin to replace the
natural grass field with new, state-of-the-art, synthetic
athletic turf that will accommodate football and field hockey.
In addition, the track surrounding the field will be
re-surfaced and lights will be installed.
The
stadium will continue to be the home venue for the football and
outdoor track & field teams. The field hockey team will move to
the stadium for their home games in 2005, while student
intramurals and recreation will also use the facility.
“This is very invigorating for our University,” KU head football
coach Dave Keeny said. “This project is a credit to the
cooperation of our students, President Cevallos, and the many
University personnel who have been so helpful in seeing it
through. This will be a facility that will have many uses for
all kinds of students. For our football program, it is going to
provide our athletes an optimum playing field.”
For
the Golden Bear field hockey team, the project means a move from
its old home behind Keystone Field House, to the 5,600-seat
University Field. It also means a dramatic change in the style
of play for KU’s home games.
“I
am very excited for our field hockey players,” said Betty Wesner,
KU’s head field hockey coach. “We will have a much more
spectator-friendly venue. Our sport is so dependant upon having
a consistent field, more so than most other sports. There are
so many benefits to having this type of playing field. Many of
our opponents have similar artificial fields, which provide for
a much faster pace of play. Additionally, we will be able to
count on having a playable field in most any kind of weather.
This change literally and figuratively puts us on a level
playing field.”
Construction is scheduled to be completed in time for the Golden
Bears’ 2005 football opener on August 27 vs. Shippensburg. The
lights, however, will not be activated until the completion of
the new student recreation center, being built near the stadium,
in 2006.
The
general contractor for the stadium project is the Quandel Group,
based out of Harrisburg, PA.
A-Turf, a New York-based company and one of the leaders in the
synthetic athletic turf industry, has been chosen to install the
new field. The same company was used for Indiana (PA)’s new
field work completed last year. The field system is Premium
RS-45, which contains a sand and rubber infill mixed into the
synthetic grass over the padding, which is designed for
long-term durability and to reduce the effects of impact on the
body.
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