Colby College converts to AstroTurf

WATERVILLE, Maine, Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Coming off of their best season in ten years, Colby College field hockey is looking to take the next step. And when the Mules take the pitch this fall, they will be stepping onto a brand new playing surface from AstroTurf®, the originators of the synthetic turf industry.

The new pitch at Bill Alfond Field features the AstroTurf 12 product, a premium knitted nylon system engineered to provide uniform traction, consistent footing, and water retention to maintain wet playing conditions. AstroTurf fields have long been regarded as the unequivocal standard for field hockey performance and are a favorite among coaches and athletes alike for their playability, durability and low maintenance. It's no wonder AstroTurf is recognized as the Official Artificial Surface Provider of both USA Field Hockey and the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. In fact, a recent NFHCA survey showed that 71% of Division I schools play hockey on an AstroTurf field*.

"We're excited with the direction our program is headed in," said Head Coach Tina Cormier. "A part of keeping that momentum going is the turf upgrade at Bill Alfond Field. AstroTurf is widely recognized as the gold standard for our sport, and we couldn't have asked for a better surface to play on."

Cormier is heading into her fourth season at the helm for Colby College, and her teams have improved upon the previous year's record in each of her first three seasons. With a 9-6 finish last year, the Mules had their best showing since 2003 and made the NESCAC playoffs for the first time since 2008.  Following two road games to open the 2014 campaign, Colby takes the pitch for their home opener on the new AstroTurf surface against conference foe Tufts University on Saturday, September 13^th.

The team responsible for the recently completed installation of the new AstroTurf surface at Bill Alfond Field is the Sargent Corporation. The construction outfit based out of Stillwater, Maine, served as general contractor for the entire project.  Those responsibilities included removal of the old turf, installation of a thick rubber shock pad called an E-layer®, and resurfacing with the new AstroTurf system. The field is lined for field hockey and lacrosse, and Colby College has also designated the venue as a backup practice field for football and soccer, as well as maintaining availability for intramural and club sport use.

Bill Alfond Field is the second field hockey pitch in the highly competitive NESCAC to install a new AstroTurf surface in as many years. Bowdoin College replaced the surface at Howard F. Ryan Field last summer with AstroTurf following 12 successful years of performance with their original AstroTurf pitch. The Polar Bears went on to capture the DIII national championship, their fourth in the last seven years. As a whole, the NESCAC boasts a remarkable 84 national championships across all sports since 2000.

*57 out of 80 Division I schools that responded to the survey claimed an AstroTurf field.

About AstroTurf
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry's first vertically integrated manufacturing system. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety.  To learn more, visit www.astroturf.com.

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SOURCE AstroTurf