Titan Field is scheduled for a much-needed facelift this May.
The University had been meaning to install new turf on the field, which hosts men’s and women’s soccer as well as lacrosse, but the project has been postponed the past two years by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The new field was kind of a long time coming,” P.J. Gradowski, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications, told The Varsity News.
The installation is expected to last through most of the summer and be finished by mid-July, just in time for soccer practice to begin for the 2022 fall season.
The field is in such poor shape, Detroit Mercy’s lacrosse teams have been playing home games this season in Birmingham to avoid injury.
Gradowski declined to reveal the cost of the project, but said the funding comes primarily from donors through the “Road to the Championship” donation campaign. According to a webpage about the RTC campaign, the university hopes to raise $2.25 million for Titan Field, including a $750,000 goal specifically for new turf.
The site notes the turf hasn’t been upgraded in a decade. Players say the site has been in desperate need of repair for a few years.
“The field condition isn’t up to standard,” said senior Hannah Alexis, a member of the women’s soccer team. “By the end of our fall season, most of us were too scared to play on Titan Field.”
Alexis said that a few of her teammates suffered injuries due to the poor field conditions.
There is excitement surrounding the re-do.
“I wish they had redone the field sooner,” Alexis said. “But I’m also glad that they’re finally making changes.”
