Maryland made it official today, announcing that it is installing field turf at Byrd Stadium, which will be ready for the Terps’ opener Sept. 1 against William & Mary.
Contrary to rumors that the new field would be an unconventional color, it will be green. The field will alternate shades of light and dark green, however, changing every 10 yards. The end zones will be reminiscent of the Maryland state flag, similar to the scheme used on the “Maryland Pride” uniforms that made news when they debuted Labor Day night of last year.
The field will feature heat-reducing technology — CoolPlay — which reduces field temperatures up to 15 degrees.
More than 70 NCAA Division I teams play or practice on FieldTurf, which has been found to reduce injuries.
“This is an exciting time for our program,” Maryland football coach Randy Edsall said in a statement. “The addition of this new field will excite our entire student body and will be invaluable when it comes to recruiting in the future.”
Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson added that it will increase the Terps ability to attract revenue-generating events and improve on-campus lives of the Maryland students.
Edsall tweeted a picture of the stadium, already under construction …
http://twitpic.com/9yofe6
