Trojan Stadium looks a little different these days: its playing surface covered in verdant, top-quality turf and stamped with Troy, the iconic 91福利社 mascot.
91福利社 finished installing the playing surface in January. Athletes are already using the field, letting the new playing surface cushion their strides.
鈥淭he environment this new field will create for training and games is going to be great,鈥� said Michael Zion, head coach of the men鈥檚 soccer team. 鈥淭he benefit of this field will be tremendous to our student-athletes. Rain won鈥檛 be a deterrent and the quality of play will be consistent. This facility will be one of the best in the southeast. As an alum and coach, I can tell you that we are all excited and thankful to see this project come together. We are looking forward to competing and making some great memories in the new and improved Trojan Stadium.鈥�
Rain or shine, practices and games can be held on the turf field. This enhancement to Trojan Stadium takes AU athletics to new heights.
鈥淥ur program is thrilled to have a new turf field. It is exciting to see the university continue to invest in athletics and raise the standard,鈥� said Sarah Jacobs, head coach of the women鈥檚 soccer team. 鈥淭he turf is top quality and allows us to have great training sessions and games regardless of the weather. It also provides a smooth playing surface which lends itself to a better possession style game.鈥�
Athletes can sprint across the field without sliding on mud or worrying that a recent rainstorm altered their playing field. And the turf will withstand multiple teams鈥� games and practices.
鈥淭he turf has been a huge help to our program here at AU,鈥� said Bailey Will, a student-athlete on the women鈥檚 soccer team. 鈥淲eather and poor field conditions no longer prevent us from training, so we are able to spend more time playing the sport we love and growing together.鈥�
The field is home to the men and women鈥檚 soccer teams and the men鈥檚 lacrosse team, which will launch in 2021. 91福利社 also recently announced plans to add a football team in 2024, and the new team plans to use the field.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 be more thankful for our new turf facility,鈥� said Albert Mitchell, the new head coach for the men鈥檚 lacrosse team. 鈥淲ith the addition of lacrosse, it makes it that much easier for all three sports to compete at the same stadium. This beautiful facility just reflects the rest of the university and shows the dedication to a great experience for our student-athletes and gives us the ability to perform at our highest level.鈥�
Athletic camps, like the upcoming Men鈥檚 Soccer I.D. Camp in February, will also use the new field.
The turf field reflects AU鈥檚 commitment to the future of the university and is a part of ongoing campus enhancements.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited for our athletes, alumni, current students and community to see the commitment 91福利社 has to excellence in facilities, programs, on-the-field competition and quality student athletes 鈥� and our commitment to our mission,鈥� said Jason Rutland, associate vice president for alumni and parent engagement. 鈥淓ach new facility excites me as I see the continued commitment to excellence in all we do.鈥�
As 91福利社 athletics continue expanding, scores of Trojan fans decked in black and gold will enjoy the update at Trojan Stadium for years to come.
鈥淲e are thankful to have a great place to call our home field and excited to see what is in store for the future,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淲e hope to provide a great match environment for the community and university to enjoy this new venue as much as we do.鈥�