ITHACA, N.Y., June 25, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Cornell is the most recent Ivy League university to select FieldTurf for its football stadium as Big Red Director of Athletics Andy Noel and FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields announced the new surface for Schoelkopf Field.
Opened in 1915, Schoelkopf Field is the home for Cornell's football, sprint football, field hockey and men's and women's lacrosse. The first NCAA football game to be played on the new FieldTurf will take place on September 27 when the Big Red host Yale.
"I am thrilled that our athletes will have a state-of-the-art practice and competitive surface like FieldTurf when activities begin in late August," said Noel. "I am indebted to our loyal alumni who stepped forward to provide a needed upgrade to our facility, ensuring a safe surface on which to compete."
"The installation of the new FieldTurf will mean that Schoelkopf Field will have the most up-to-date, safest surface that is available today," said Cornell Head Football Coach Jim Knowles. "This will benefit our current players immediately and also be an advantage for us in recruiting. The FieldTurf will also look sharp with a bright red 'C' and stunning red end zones. Everyone in the program is excited for this upgrade!"
"There is little doubt that the Ivy League is one of the most prestigious conferences in the country, and Cornell has enjoyed some of the most successful football seasons in league annals," said Fields. "We are thrilled to launch this association with Cornell, and to provide the absolute safest and most effective artificial turf product available in the world today to the football, spring football, field hockey and lacrosse teams. With the historic significance of Schoelkopf Field, plus the latest-and-greatest version of FieldTurf, it will be a great example of old meeting new."
"Women's lacrosse is very excited about the new FieldTurf surface on historic Schoelkopf Field," said Cornell Head Women's Lacrosse Coach Jenny Graap. "It's a more forgiving surface on the joints and should help our girls stay healthier during the season, but it also plays true and fast. I think it's great for our athletic department as a whole, and specifically for women's lacrosse."
"Our program is extremely thankful for the generosity of our alumni and we are looking forward to playing on the new, state-of-the-art FieldTurf surface this fall," said Cornell Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Jeff Tambroni.
"The installation of FieldTurf is another step forward for the sprint football program and is an exciting edition for both the football and lacrosse programs," stated Head Sprint Football Coach Terry Cullen. "Our team can't wait to get on it and play some football."
Cornell becomes the fifth Ivy League school to install FieldTurf at its football stadium, joining Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton. Through the years, Big Red stars such as Ed Marinaro (the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1971) have played at Schoelkopf which has become an irreplaceable part of Cornell's on-campus tradition.
More than 50 major NCAA universities have FieldTurf in their stadiums, including Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Boston College, Rutgers, Kansas State, Louisville and Missouri. Twenty-one of the NFL's 32 teams use FieldTurf at their stadium and/or practice facility. In addition, MLB's Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays have FieldTurf at their respective stadiums.
FieldTurf Tarkett is the largest entity in the sports surfacing industry and provides unparalleled leasing capabilities, engineering and manufacturing resources. In addition to its world-renowned FieldTurf and Prestige brands of artificial turf, FieldTurf Tarkett provides an equally impressive range of sports flooring products that includes synthetic and hardwood basketball, volleyball and gymnasium flooring, squash and racquetball courts, floor protection and covering systems, and weight room flooring. Also in the range of FieldTurf Tarkett products are indoor and outdoor running tracks including the high performance Le Monde track system, the Resisport track system, the Beynon track surfaces, playground surfacing, commercial and residential landscaping, and a complete range of tennis and golf surfaces. For more information, visit www.fieldturftarkett.com.