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. 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.