After two years in development, the University of Buffalo has opened its new US$18m indoor practice facility, which is said to be a ‘game changer’ for its football and athletics programs.
The Murchie Family Fieldhouse, named after former Buffalo hockey player Tunney Murchie, will now enable athletes to practice indoors on campus during the winter months with over 4,000,000ft3 of space available.
Featured inside the new facility is a full AstroTurf football field using its 3D3 Blend turf system, which integrates three fibers – a slit film, monofilament, and patented RootZone – into one system.
It is AstroTurf’s most popular stadium turf due to its combination of long-lasting performance and game day good looks.
Also on the practice field are two goalposts, four motorized suspended softball hitting tunnels and two multi-level indoor filming/viewing towers at 24 and 36ft high.
“For us, as a cross country and track-and-field program, the benefits and impacts are going to be enormous. Our student-athletes are going to have the ability to train inside on a good user-friendly surface. We’ll be able to do field-event work that has previously been limited in the winter time. It’s going to open up a whole new opportunity to develop as a team,” said track and field head coach Vicki Mitchell.
Along with the 74,958ft2 of AstroTurf, the facility also includes 6,000ft2 of Rekortan track for sprints, hurdles and jumps. The Rekortan G-13 track was installed by ATT Sports, a certified Rekortan Distributor. Rekortan is a sister company of AstroTurf under the SportGroup brand.
