HIGH POINT, N.C., Oct. 25, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Friday's NSCAA College Game of the Week on FOX Soccer will take place on a state-of-the-art surface: a Mondoturf artificial turf field.
In the week's premier men's college soccer matchup, High Point University will welcome Virginia Commonwealth to Vert Stadium, one of the finest facilities of its kind and home to HPU's men's and women's soccer, lacrosse and track & field programs. The match is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 28.
The venue's Mondoturf artificial turf field was installed in 2011 to replace a natural grass field. One major reason that HPU chose Mondoturf was the field's proven durability. With two soccer teams already using Vert Stadium, the university wanted a field that could stand up to the addition of two more teams: a women's lacrosse program that began play this fall and a men's lacrosse team slated to begin play in 2013.
"Our goal was to provide our student-athletes with a surface that plays like natural grass, but performs more consistently regardless of use and weather," said Jared Micklos, HPU's assistant athletic director. "After we conducted thorough research, we were convinced that the entire Mondo system is absolutely the best product on the market. Mondo's commitment to developing a surface that combines safety and performance made this our clear choice and an ideal fit for HPU."
Manufactured by Mondo, the global leader in sports flooring, the Mondoturf field features several state-of-the-art components, including the company's Ecofill infill, 3NX fibers and Fine Tuned Panel underlayment.
Ecofill infill is a patented, environmentally friendly, factory-manufactured polyolefin-based granule infill that is not made from reground tire pellets, which are commonly used by other artificial turf manufacturers. Ecofill delivers the appropriate amount of shock absorption and energy return for optimal, natural-field–like athletic performance. Completely recyclable, Ecofill is virtually odor free, even in hot, humid conditions, and it retains less heat than traditional black rubber granules, so it reduces the potential for athletic fatigue and dehydration.
The Mondoturf field's groundbreaking 3NX fiber has proven core characteristics that allow it to perfectly mimic the responses of natural grass, and to do so with outstanding resilience and durability while offering superior player comfort. The 3NX fiber's translational and rotational friction characteristics lend themselves to easy pivots and turns, even in high torque scenarios. Ball roll and bounce mimic roll and bounce on natural grass.
The Fine Tuned Panel underlayment is a prefabricated shock pad/drainage system made of recycled tire granules that are treated and encapsulated in polyurethane, preventing the possibility of contamination. The underlayment compacts less than traditional systems, so the field's play and performance characteristics remain consistent throughout the entire surface, ensuring optimal play and outstanding ball action while minimizing the risk of injuries to athletes, even if the infill migrates.
About FOX Soccer
FOX Soccer, part of the FOX Sports Media Group, offers the most comprehensive multimedia coverage of world-class soccer available in the United States. This marks the seventh season of the NSCAA College Game of the Week on FOX Soccer. The games feature outstanding matches between some of the top NCAA Division I men's and women's teams, making Thursday and Friday nights the premier viewing destination for intercollegiate soccer fans. This season's schedule includes eight women's and 12 men's matches.
About National Soccer Coaches Association of America
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the NSCAA is the largest soccer coaches' organization in the world. Since its founding in 1941, it has grown to include more than 30,000 members who coach both genders at all levels of the sport. In addition to a national rankings program for colleges and high schools, NSCAA offers an extensive recognition program that presents nearly 10,000 individual awards every year. It fulfills its mission of coaching education through a nationwide program of clinics and week-long courses, teaching more than 7,000 soccer coaches each year.
About Mondo
Mondo is the global leader in the sports and contract flooring markets, manufacturing flooring surfaces for virtually every application. More than 1,100 Mondo tracks and 800 Mondo artificial turf fields are installed worldwide. The official supplier of the athletic track for the past nine Olympic Games and the upcoming 2012 London Olympics, Mondo also is the official supplier or official sponsor of more than 100 sports federations and associations.
The company supplies a wide variety of commercial flooring, and it is the world's largest producer of sports and toy balls with an average daily production of 450,000 units. In addition, it manufactures large luxury yachts under its Mondo Marine division.
A family-owned business since its founding in 1948, Mondo sells its products in more than 196 countries. The company's global headquarters are in Italy, and it has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. More information about Mondo is available at mondoworldwide.com.
The Mondo logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5765
Mondo is a registered trademark of Mondo.