Miami Ohio University Athletics
Gift Leads to Installation of Field Turf at Miami
6/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 25, 2003
OXFORD, Ohio - Miami University Director of Athletics Brad Bates announced today a gift to the Miami University Athletic Department for the installation of a new synthetic grass surface, FieldTurf, in Fred C. Yager Stadium. The cost of the project is $ 665,000 and begins this week.
The new surface was made possible through a donation by Mark and Elizabeth and Pete and Amy Mather. Mark and Pete are both former Miami football players from the Classes of 1983 and 1988, respectively, and are very successful business owners in the Cincinnati area.
"The Mather brothers and their families have made an extraordinary commitment to Miami University Athletics that will provide our coaches and students with the finest playing surface in the country beginning this fall," said Bates. "We greatly appreciate their leadership in terms of giving back to their program."
"Their gift represents a significant milestone in the history of the athletic department, said head football coach Terry Hoeppner, "and begins a transformation that with the use of state-of-the-art products and technology will capture and celebrate the proud tradition of Miami University Athletics."
Yager Stadium joins the ever-growing list of NCAA and NFL teams opting for FieldTurf's grass-like surfacing solution. FieldTurf's recent installation contracts have included the University of Michigan (Michigan Stadium), the University of Missouri (Faurot Field), the University of Wisconsin (Camp Randall Stadium), Penn State (Holuba Hall), the University of Hawaii (Aloha Stadium-also the site of the NFL Pro Bowl), the NFL's Atlanta Falcons (Georgia Dome) and the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets (Giants Stadium).
"With our spread offense that calls for acceleration and cutting and a defense built on speed, FieldTurf was exactly what we were looking for," Hoeppner said. "Our guys will have a consistent surface regardless of the conditions, whether in games or at practice."
The field is scheduled to be ready by the middle of August, and the first game on the new surface will be on Sept. 27 when Miami hosts area arch-rival the University of Cincinnati in the home opener.
Fred C. Yager Stadium opened its doors in 1983, replacing Miami Field, which had played home to Miami football since 1896. In the last 20 seasons at Yager Stadium, the RedHawks have posted a record of 57-33-4 (.628) and an even more impressive record of 41-18-2 (.688) since 1990.
