Otterbein is currently $200,000 away from their $2 million goal to install a new track and turf field at Memorial Stadium.
The field surface, which is currently used for football and men’s lacrosse games, will expand to incorporate a soccer field for both men’s and women’s soccer.
“Here at Otterbein, the stadium is the center of campus,” Athletic Director Dawn Stewart said. “We’re really hoping it can be used as something that more importantly will have a broader impact to the entire campus community as well as Westerville.”
Stewart, who installed a turf field at Capital University in 2011, said she hopes it turns into a place that the community can rally around.
Otterbein staff members will also benefit from the new facility as well.
“One aspect of grass maintenance we will be happy to not have to do is field painting,” said David Bell, director of the Physical Plant for Otterbein. “The turf will have all the necessary lines permanently affixed.”
Bell, who has been working with Stewart through the planning process and the Service Department who currently maintains two varsity grass fields, will meet with architects and engineers to ensure they design a facility that will meet Otterbein’s needs.
“If soccer, football and lacrosse are able to use the turf for their varsity events, we will likely not need to maintain at least the current varsity soccer field at such a high level of care,” Bell said.
The project will also renovate Otterbein’s McVay Track, but even with the expansion of the turf field the track will continue to be regulation size.
“Otterbein has one of the finest indoor facilities around,” men’s and women’s track head coach David Lehman said. “To have an outdoor track surface that would match that would be huge.”
Otterbein’s McVay Track has not held a meet since 2007 and the teams are ready to host one for the first time in over six years.
“The underclassmen are definitely looking forward to the day when we can move outside and run a workout on a quality surface,” Lehman said. “Especially to wake up on a Saturday morning feeling excited about having a home outdoor track meet.”
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