May 1, 2007
Chicago, Ill.- UIC Director of Athletics Jim Schmidt and FieldTurf CEO John Gilman announced on Tuesday that Les Miller Field, the home of the UIC baseball team, will feature FieldTurf beginning next season.
The installation of FieldTurf at Les Miller Field is scheduled to begin at the end of June and be completed later this summer.
"We feel great that we will have one of the top collegiate baseball playing surfaces in the Midwest," said Schmidt. "FieldTurf has been the only way to go with the ongoing weather challenges during the spring months. The turf will give us great flexibility and options for utilization year-round and will enhance our already-competitive program.
"We feel the FieldTurf option enhances our situation as one of the top baseball facilities in the country.
"Although we are probably more known for our football product, our baseball turf is absolutely the finest available in the world today," said Gilman. "We're not only very proud of the fact that several Major League Baseball teams play their home games on FieldTurf, we're also proud of the fact that a growing number of college baseball programs are selecting FieldTurf.
"Les Miller Field is an outstanding facility, and I'm confident that Coach [Mike] Dee and his players will greatly enjoy competing on their new FieldTurf."
This is just another improvement among a long list of recent facility advancements to the UIC baseball program.
Two weeks ago the Peggy Colvin Baseball Center for Academic and Athletic Excellence, the team's new state-of-the-art clubhouse, was fully completed and dedicated, and new, powerful Double-A level lights were installed at Les Miller Field prior to the home opener in March.
In addition to the colleges and minor league teams that utilize FieldTurf for baseball, Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays make FieldTurf their choice for their stadiums.
FieldTurf is the result of years of research - evident in the patented FieldTurf infill mix of silica sand and cryogenic rubber and patented layering process that deliver a system that emulates natural grass. Additional benefits are found in improved player safety, reduced maintenance costs and flexibility for conversion - allowing stadium managers to quickly change the field from one sport to another or to easily host a variety of sporting events, concerts and other special events directly on top of the FieldTurf surface.
Over the last few years over 1,900 FieldTurf installations have taken place in more than 40 countries. For more information on FieldTurf, please visit www.fieldturf.com.
