The University of Idaho to Start the 2021-22 Year with New AstroTurf Practice Field
The University of Idaho athletics program is getting a major upgrade in time for the start of the 2021 season by installing a high-performance turf system made by AstroTurf®.
MOSCOW, Idaho, July 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The University of Idaho athletics program is getting a major upgrade in time for the start of the 2021 season. The school installed a high-performance turf system made by AstroTurf®, the leaders in playing surface innovation, at the outdoor east field next to the Kibbie Dome.
As the official practice field for the Idaho Vandals football team, the new improvements are expected to help the football program excel this year. The Vandals will be getting game-ready on the new turf, giving them a leading-edge sports surface to reset on after a shortened spring season.
"The new outdoor turf gives us another tool to improve," said Idaho head football coach Paul Petrino. "Our facilities here at the University of Idaho, from the renovated Kibbie Dome to the brand new ICCU Arena and projects like this, continue to set us up as a premier institution. I cannot wait to get the guys out on the new field this summer and fall to prepare for 2021."
The AstroTurf® practice field was made possible by generous contributions donated by Greg and Debra McDonald and the DuRae Scott McDonald Foundation. It will be a key resource for the football team, who will start their fourth year in the Big Sky Conference in September, as well as the Vandals soccer program, club sports, and intramurals.
The Vandals soccer program also will benefit from the new installation.
"We're excited about the new field and the possibilities it presents," said head soccer coach Jeremy Clevenger. "Scheduling in the Dome can be challenging. Having this high-quality surface as an option for training will allow us to continue competing for Big Sky Championships."
The new field was installed with one of AstroTurf's most popular products – the RootZone 3D3 Trionic Blend system. It combines the company's patented RootZone, a texturized layer of synthetic fibers purpose-built to enhance shock absorption and increase stability, resulting in a safer playing surface. The system also comes with a secondary backing system. Underneath is a premium Brock Pad PowerBase Pro, which adds another layer of cushioning to help protect student-athletes from injury.
The AstroTurf® system was installed by Coast to Coast Turf, the company's exclusive distributor in the Pacific Northwest.
"The University of Idaho is really following through with their commitment on providing their student-athletes with the highest level of facilities possible," said Coast to Coast Turf President, Steve Webb. "We are thrilled to have been identified as being able to deliver a system that is unmatched in the industry for safety, performance, and durability."
The East Practice Field is only one of several athletic facility upgrades the University of Idaho has in the works. Memorial Gym and the Swim Center were renovated over the summer, and the 4,200-capacity Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) Arena will be completed this fall.
The Vandals athletics program is taking things to the next level with all of these upgrades, ensuring student-athletes are training and competing with state-of-the-art facilities and providing fans with premium gathering places that represent the care poured into UI athletics.
The timing couldn't be more perfect. The University of Idaho just placed 109 student-athletes on the 2020-21 Big Sky Fall All-Academic Teams, including 45 football players. This will also be the third time that players Conner Whitney, Logan Prescott, and Logan Kendall earned this accolade.
After being ranked 24th by Athlon Sports in its Football Championship Subdivision preseason poll in February and feeling the pressure throughout the preseason, the Vandals are ready to break out with important wins in September. They kick off the season at home against Simon Fraser on the 4th, followed by away games against Indiana, Oregon State, and UC Davis. Other home games this year will be against Portland State, Montana, Northern Arizona, and Southern Utah.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport, and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams, and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit AstroTurf's website at http://www.astroturf.com.
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Gary Jones, AstroTurf, 8007238873, [email protected]
SOURCE AstroTurf
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