ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine unveiled its new field hockey complex Friday during a grand opening ceremony.
The new 70,000-square-foot, $8.3 million complex can seat up to 512 people, with additional space for chairback seats in the center of the stadium, the UMaine Athletics said in a news release.
The complex also features synthetic turf, a three-level enclosed press box at midfield with the third level covered in canopy for film, LED stadium lights, two new scoreboards, and brick dugouts, the release stated. Spiideo cameras are also expected to be installed in three locations around the complex to allow for video replay.
"We take great pride in the Black Bear field hockey team," UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy said in Friday's release. "Going forward, this new facility will stand as a testament to the talented student-athletes, coaches and staff who have contributed to this conference-dominating program."
A generous $240 million donation from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the UMaine System made this new facility possible. The total donation included a $90 million investment into UMaine athletics alone to help fund the Athletics Facilities Master Plan under the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative, according to the release.
"To open one top-tier Division I facility in any given year is special," UMaine Director of Athletics Jude Killy said in the release. "The opportunity to do it a second time, less than six months after opening our softball complex, is remarkable. Today is a great day for our championship-caliber field hockey team ... To all levels of field hockey throughout our state; our new home is your new home."
This new complex has the ability to host state, conference, and regional championship events, and will serve as a valuable venue for high school teams and area youth, the release said.