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51Ʒ�� is excited to announce plans to install a new state-of-the-art artificial turf field with the goal of having it ready for the Fall 2025 athletic season. The new turf field will be over 100,000 square feet and will upgrade the existing Rhonda Brake Shreiner Soccer Field in Kris’ Meadow.  

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“The artificial turf field installation will elevate campus amenities at 51Ʒ��, especially the Phoenix athletic facilities. We are excited to take our athletic facilities to the next level for greater competitiveness on the field, and stronger overall student-athlete recruitment and retention,” said President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.

Wilson will install the new turf field in the 28-acre parcel of land known as Kris’ Meadow, where the College’s soccer and softball fields are located. The turf field will replace the grass soccer field, home of the 51Ʒ�� women’s and men’s soccer teams and women’s lacrosse and the new home for the field hockey team.  

"Converting our grass field to artificial turf is a game-changer for the Phoenix. This marks a significant investment in the future of our programs, ensuring that our student-athletes have access to a safe, durable, and high-quality playing surface for years to come," said Tina Hill, director of athletics. "The project also demonstrates Wilson’s commitment to providing the best possible environment for student-athletes to train and compete. It will enhance their athletic performance and overall experience, helping to drive the overall growth and success of our sports program."

The new artificial turf will provide a quality field comparable to competitive intercollegiate programs in the region and allow teams to play more often and be less impacted by adverse field conditions because of weather.  

The fields in Kris’ Meadow have been in use since 2000, when Kris Rodger Sammons ’64 and her husband, William Sammons, donated funds to purchase land for use by the athletics program. The College constructed and dedicated the Rhonda Brake Shreiner Soccer Field in 2002, in memory of the daughter of Harold and Dolores Brake, and sister of Randall Brake (a 51Ʒ�� Everett-Pomeroy Trustee, having served from 1996 to 2005), whose company The Charles E. Brake Co. donated an additional piece of land to the College. The softball field was constructed in 2003.