- Johnny Unitas Stadium
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Johnny Unitas Stadium Former names Minnegan Field (1978-1982)
Towson Stadium (1983-2001)Location 7500 Osler Drive
Towson, MD 21252Broke ground 1976 Opened September 9, 1978[1] Renovated 2002 Owner Towson University Operator Towson University Surface Fieldturf Construction cost $32 million Architect Ellerbe Becket (renovation) Capacity 11,198 Tenants Towson Athletics Johnny Unitas Stadium at Minnegan Field is a multi-purpose, football and lacrosse stadium in Towson, Maryland.
Contents
History
The stadium was completely renovated in 2002 to accommodate a Division I team, and now seats 11,198. Towson University hosts its home football and Lacrosse games at the stadium. The stadium is named for the Baltimore Colts' Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, who had taken a job trying to find a corporate sponsor for the stadium with Towson University weeks before his death in 2002. In fact, Unitas threw his last public pass at the re-opening of the facility (as Towson Stadium) just a few days before his death[2]. His widow, Sandy, felt it appropriate to honor him by having the stadium named for him instead, with fund-raising in his name taking the place of the money that a corporate naming would have supplied.
Minnegan Field, named after long-time faculty member, athletic director and coach Donald “Doc” Minnegan, is a FieldTurf artificial playing surface.
In 2008, the Unitas Stadium scoreboard was replaced with a 16:9 full video scoreboard. The new scoreboard stands where the previous scoreboard was placed. The old incandescent light scoreboard was placed at the opposite end of the field serving as an auxiliary scoreboard.
Tenants
It is the home field for the Towson Football, Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse, and the Women’s Track and Field team. The annual Fall Pep Rally is held at the stadium.
In addition to Towson events, the stadium has also been used for high school football and lacrosse events, the Under 19 World Lacrosse Championship, Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Lacrosse Championships, several NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championships as well as competition in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championships.
The Baltimore Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse used Johnny Unitas Stadium as their home stadium from 2004 to 2006.
The 2008 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four and Championship were held in Johnny Unitas Stadium, where Northwestern University defeated the University of Pennsylvania 10-6, giving the Wildcats their fourth NCAA title in a row in the sport.
The 2009 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four and Championship were held in Johnny Unitas Stadium where Northwestern University defeated University of North Carolina 21-7. This was the Wildcats fifth title in a row in Women's Lacrosse.
The 2010 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four and Championship were held in Johnny Unitas Stadium where University of Maryland defeated Northwestern University 13-11. This was the Terps 10th NCAA title in Women's Lacrosse.
Field House
On April 26, 2003 the final renovations to the stadium were completed with the construction of the four-story, 48,000-square-foot (4,500 m2) field house located in the stadium’s west end zone area. The field house features offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms, class rooms, a film editing room an athlete learning center, an athletic training room and an equipment room. The rooftop patio treat guests to a view of athletic contests.
The Minnegan Room
The Minnegan room on the third floor of the field house is, named after long time faculty member, athletic director and coach "Doc" Minnegan. It is a multipurpose room that has a top view of the action on the field as well as the stadium. The Minnegan room can accommodate up to 200 guests.
Ford-Vetter Athletic Sports Medicine Facility
This is an area that serves the student-athletes' medical needs. This 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) facility includes separate taping, treatment, rehabilitation, and hydrotherapy areas. The state-of-the-art hydrotherapy and rehabilitation areas include the Swimex system and Biodex training equipment. The facility also includes a physician exam room, conference room, and staff offices.
References
- ^ http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1779363792.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+09%2C+1978&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Terps%2C+Tigers+at+home+today+in+grid+openers&pqatl=google
- ^ [1]
External links
Towson University Academics Schools: College of Business and Economics • College of Education • College of Fine Arts and Communication • College of Health Professions • College of Liberal Arts • Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics • Honors College • College of Graduate Studies and Research
Achievements: Points of PrideAthletics Colonial Athletic Association • Towson Tigers • Doc (Mascot) • Fight Song
Rivalries: Loyola College • University of Vermont • University of Delaware • Johns Hopkins University • University of Maryland, College Park
Current Facilities: Johnny Unitas Stadium • Towson Center • John B. Schuerholz Baseball Complex • Burdick Pool
Past Facilities: Minnegan StadiumGrounds Campus landmarks and locations: "The Beach" • Burdick Field • Newell Field • The Tiger Statue • Glen Bridge • TowsonTown Bridge
Student life Grub Street • The Towerlight • WMJF-LP • WTMD • XTSR
People Football stadiums of the Colonial Athletic Association Delaware Stadium (Delaware) • Bridgeforth Stadium (James Madison) • Morse Field at Alfond Stadium (Maine) • Cowell Stadium (New Hampshire) • Foreman Field (Old Dominion) • Meade Stadium (Rhode Island) • E. Claiborne Robins Stadium (Richmond) • Johnny Unitas Stadium (Towson) • Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (UMass) • Villanova Stadium (Villanova) • Zable Stadium (William & Mary)
College football venues in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Division I
FBSACC Byrd Stadium (Maryland)
Independent Navy – Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Navy)
Division I
FCSCAA Johnny Unitas Stadium (Towson)
MEAC Patriot Division II CIAA Bulldog Stadium (Bowie State)
Division III ACFC Bobcat Stadium (Frostburg State) • Sea Gull Stadium (Salisbury)
Centennial Homewood Field (Johns Hopkins) • Scott S. Bair Stadium (McDaniel)
ECFC Hotchkiss Field (Gallaudet)
ODAC Cardinal Stadium (Catholic)
Coordinates: 39°23′18″N 76°36′57″W / 39.388462°N 76.615936°W
Categories:- College football venues
- Sports in Baltimore, Maryland
- American football venues in Maryland
- College lacrosse venues in the United States
- Towson University sports venues
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