Carnegie Mellon To Develop New Playing Field

May 10 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Carnegie Mellon University has announced that it will build a new playing field this summer. The field, which will be used for intramurals, club sports and intercollegiate soccer, will have an all-season FieldTurf surface.

The new field will be constructed on the site of the current intramural field. A portion of the space will remain natural grass and will be a designated throwing area for track and field student-athletes.

“We are thrilled that the university has decided to enhance our athletics facilities with the addition of a new playing field. This will change the landscape of recreational and intercollegiate athletics at Carnegie Mellon,” said Director of Athletics Susan Bassett.

The field will be used for intramural and club sport activity, as well as intercollegiate soccer practices and games. Both soccer programs had shared Gesling Stadium with the football team and recreational users, but will now practice and compete on the new field. The state-of-the-art surface will allow for extended recreational and intramural opportunities for the entire university community.

“We estimate that the new field will positively impact more than 80 percent of the Carnegie Mellon student body,” Bassett said. “A viable playing surface that can provide a home to our recreational athletes, as well as our soccer programs, will be life-changing for this campus.”

Construction on the field will begin following graduation and will be ready for student use at the beginning of the 2010-11 academic year.