HUNTINGTON, W.Va., June 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Thundering Herd will be roaming across fresh fields this fall. Marshall University recently commissioned AstroTurf® for the installation of two new artificial surfaces on campus. Both Joan C. Edwards Stadium and a nearly completed indoor athletic facility are slated to receive brand new AstroTurf playing surfaces from the originators of the synthetic turf industry. Following last summer's installation at Veteran's Memorial Soccer Complex, this will bring the total number of AstroTurf fields on the Huntington campus to three.
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"We have been thrilled with our AstroTurf field's performance at Veteran's," said Marshall Athletic Director Mike Hamrick. "We anticipate an equally superb level of performance from the two new athletic fields. The technology and team behind AstroTurf give us every confidence that we made the right choice to go with them again for our synthetic turf needs."
The two playing fields will be covered with AstroTurf's MT synthetic turf system. The product consists of tufted polyethylene fibers with sand and rubber infill. The individual Horseshoe-shaped monofilament blades give the MT turf system its natural appearance. The cutting edge surface will replace an older artificial turf field at Edwards Stadium. The installation process involves re-grading of the stone base followed by resurfacing with the new AstroTurf system, and should be completed in June. That means the field will be ready to go come fall for one of the loudest, most intimidating home stadiums in the college football landscape, where Marshall has enjoyed an astonishing 136-25 home record since its opening in 1991.
The playing surface at the new indoor athletic facility will be a full length, 120 yard football field. Installation is scheduled to begin in June so as to be ready for the facility's 'substantial completion' opening in August. The synthetic turf will be laid on top of a brand new E-Layer® - a bonded rubber, elastomeric base that provides excellent shock attenuation, drainage and planarity. The indoor athletic facility is the centerpiece of the Marshall University's Vision Campaign. The site will feature the artificial field outlined by a six lane track, seating for 1,000 spectators, and amenities for baseball, golf and other sports. Further expansion on the site will include a new Hall of Fame to open in October, a student-athlete academic center to open in January 2015, and sports-medicine translational research center tentatively scheduled to be ready by summer of 2015.
"It's an exciting time here at Marshall," said Associate AD of Facilities Scott Morehouse. "Our athletic footprint on campus is growing with meaningful projects that will pay dividends for our student-athletes for years to come. The quality fields from AstroTurf are a big part of these improvements to our athletic infrastructure."
In addition to the revamped Edwards Stadium field and the new artificial turf going in to the multimillion dollar indoor athletic facility, AstroTurf installed a synthetic playing surface at the newly erected Veteran's Memorial Soccer Complex last summer. After passing a rigorous evaluation process, the pitch at Veteran's received the coveted FIFA One-Star Recommended certification from soccer's international governing body. The designation means that Veteran's is only the second soccer-specific stadium in NCAA Division I to be so recognized, and one of only 20 such fields in all of the United States.
Marshall Football will begin the season on the road at Miami of Ohio before returning to play their home opener on the new field at Edwards Stadium on Saturday, September 6th against Rhode Island. Head Coach Doc Holliday heads into his fifth season at the helm after a successful 2013 campaign that culminated with a victory in the Military Bowl over Maryland in Annapolis. The Thundering Herd look to build on the school's first 10 win season since 2002.
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.
SOURCE AstroTurf
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