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Since 1965, the AstroTurf brand has been driven by forward thinking ingenuity. Today AstroTurf continuously improves its system design to deliver playing surfaces with the most realistic, sport-specific performance, longest lasting durability, and sound player protection.
University of Washington Husky Stadium – AstroTurf Installation Time-lapse
AstroTurf 3D3 RootZone system installation at Husky Stadium, the “Greatest Setting” in college football.
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Welcome to the Second Half of the AstroTurf Century!
Latest News
AstroTurf Completes Two Major League Baseball Replica Fields at The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen
Dalton, GA - The Ripken Experience™ Aberdeen, the premier youth baseball destination in the hometown of Cal Ripken, Jr. and Bill Ripken, has two new leading-edge AstroTurf® baseball fields. With these new fields, the complex offers a total of nine fields, all modeled...
Monterey Bay F.C. Chooses FIFA-Approved AstroTurf® Field for Home Pitch at New Cardinale Stadium
Seaside, CA – Monterey Bay Football Club, one of the newest members of the men’s professional league USL Championship (USLC), will play their inaugural home game in May on a freshly installed AstroTurf® pitch purpose-built for elite soccer. Monterey Bay F.C. opted for one of AstroTurf’s leading products, the LigaTurf RS Pro II system, for the new Cardinale Stadium at the California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus.
The LigaTurf RS Pro II system is the product of years of research and development and a commitment to creating the most technologically advanced soccer fields in the world. Integrating monofilament fibers designed to deliver grass-like traction and superior aesthetics, it’s a fitting choice for the newly renovated stadium in beautiful Seaside, California. Monterey Bay F.C. funded the project privately, spending $11 million to expand the seating capacity to 6,000, add premium seating areas and a Broadcast Box, and install high-performance FIFA-approved turf.
“Monterey Bay is really an ambitious club and they want to do things the right way,” said AstroTurf’s Manager of Soccer Carl Capellas. “As a USL Championship team, it was important to them and us to have that level of soccer being played on the best performing turf for soccer. That’s why they are getting LigaTurf.”
Cardinale Stadium will be the official home pitch for Monterey Bay F.C., as well as the main playing field for the CSUMB men’s and women’s soccer teams. The first home game for the Union is on May 7th against the Las Vegas Lights Football Club.
Monterey Bay F.C., which is branded as The Greatest Union of Land and Sea, joined the USLC in 2021. The team played their first game ever on March 12th of this year against Phoenix Rising FC in Arizona. They’ve also played Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Oakland Roots SC, Sacramento Republic, El Paso Locomotive FC, and LA Galaxy II, giving them the chance to test themselves as a group against some of the best soccer teams in the western United States.
Coached by two-time MLS Coach of the Year and former Premier League player Frank Yallop, the Union will be an exciting team to watch as the 2022 USL Championship season unfolds. Club Owner and Chairman Ray Beshoff brought together a formidable group of athletes from all over the world when he founded the Monterey Bay F.C. Players include forward Walmer Martinez, formerly of Hartford Athletic and a player on the El Salvador National Team, defender Hugh Roberts from Maryland, who played with Charlotte Independence for three seasons and is ranked 9th all-time in appearances in USL Championship history, and Seku Conneh from Liberia. Conneh competes on the Liberia National Team, and he’s played professionally for Fortuna Sittard in the Netherlands, Philadelphia Union II, Las Vegas Lights, and the Icelandic club iBV. He also scored the first goal ever for Monterey Bay F.C.
“Coach Yallop is a Hall-of-Fame coach,” said Capellas. “He’s one of the big boys. He had a long professional career in Europe and was just inducted into the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame. He was integral in this process. He was in the weeds as much as anyone I’ve ever worked with. He was watching film with our turf, calling guys in Europe, calling the coach at the University of Pittsburgh (Jay Vidovich), standing on the fields, watching players on the turf. He was adamant his team had the top-level turf system.
“He was a big part of the process. When someone on that level agrees with what we’re doing and is pushing for it, that confirms what we’ve been doing.”
After their match against the Las Vegas Lights on Saturday, May 7, Monterey Bay will play the Rio Grande Valley FC at home on the following Saturday. Soccer fans can buy tickets online or watch Monterey Bay FC play on the new AstroTurf® field at Cardinale Stadium on ESPN.
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 www.astroturf.com.
About the USL
The United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing professional soccer organization in North America, possessing more than a decade of experience in bringing the world’s game to communities across the United States. Overseeing the USL Championship (USSF Division II), USL League One (USSF Division III), USL League Two and W League (Pre-Professional), the organization is built on a proven and recognized model in international football and counts more than 150 clubs in its membership. In September, the USL announced the USL Super League, a new professional women’s league that will apply for Division II sanctioning from USSF and aims to begin play in 2023. For more information, visit www.uslsoccer.com.
Duke University Field Hockey brings Green Technology to United States with New Installation
Durham, NC – Duke Field Hockey is the first collegiate team in the United States to call AstroTurf’s Poligras Tokyo GT (Green Technology) field hockey system their home turf. The university is installing the new state-of-the-art turf at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium in June, making the school a trailblazer for eco-friendly athletic surfaces while providing the student-athletes with a superior field they can feel proud to play on.
The field upgrade is part of a larger renovation project for Duke Field Hockey, made possible by the support of generous donors, including Susan Sabiston, widow of Jim Sabiston, successful businessman, father, and long-time supporter of Duke’s women’s sports. In addition to the new AstroTurf® field, the field house is being renovated and extended, giving the Blue Devils a brand-new locker room and common areas for meetings and team bonding.
But the stand-out feature for the Blue Devils will be the blue Tokyo GT turf. Specially designed for the Tokyo Olympics, it’s unlike every other artificial turf system out there. To help the Olympics meet its carbon-neutral goal, AstroTurf® drew upon a vast team of chemical engineers, testing materials scientists, construction engineers, and other experts from Europe, Australia, and the United States to create the ultimate eco-friendly field hockey turf.
AstroTurf’s lineup of field hockey Green Technology will again be on display at the Olympics in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028.
With its unique construction, Poligras Tokyo GT will save water, preserve resources, and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Instead of relying on traditional polyurethane and nylon to construct the synthetic grass filaments, AstroTurf® created a field that consists of 60 percent sugar cane – a sustainable crop that captures CO2 from the air.
“This will be the first Poligras Toyko GT field in the United States market and we’re excited it’s coming to Duke University,” said Melissa Vassalotti-Twist, AstroTurf’s Director of Field Hockey. “Bringing this green technology to the hockey market in the United States is a big deal. This is really the future of hockey.”
“We have about 60 of our green technology systems installed internationally, but this is the first one in the US. We’re excited to bring this technology to the field hockey community – providing Climate Positive Hockey.”
Paired with AstroTurf’s Tokyo GT surface will be a new 10mm e-layer paved in place for elite international and high-level collegiate hockey. The Blue Devils will benefit from playing on a field that offers safety, performance, playability, and longevity– for our people, for our planet.
Two-time ACC and NFHCA South Region Coach of the Year, Pam Bustin says of the upgrade, “I cannot wait to begin the next era of Duke True in our new home and upon our new turf!”
Added Twist, “Coach Bustin was an integral part of the decision process. She was not only interested in the Toyko GT product, but green technology going forward. Coach Bustin is a big advocate for reducing water usage and the green movement for our sport. Knowing this is the way of the future was key. With this, Duke will lead the way for the future of field hockey green surfaces in the United States. This forward thinking aligns with the FIH plan to be waterless by 2028.”
The newly renovated field will be ready for action when the girls’ field hockey team returns to campus for preseason training in August. The blue turf will also be at the forefront of the sport later in the year when Duke University hosts the 2022 ACC Field Hockey Championship this fall.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, 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 www.astroturf.com.
Northern Illinois University Elevates Its Athletics Programs with New AstroTurf® Soccer, Baseball Fields
DeKalb, IL – Northern Illinois University announces plans to replace two athletic fields on campus, taking an important step forward on the school’s quest to further support student-athletes and ensure the future success of NIL athletic programs. The university’s Board of Trustees recently approved the installation of new AstroTurf® fields at the Northern Illinois University Soccer and Track & Field Complex, and at Ralph McKinzie Field, home of NIU Huskies Baseball.
The school already boasts some of the best sports facilities in the state, and now with these much-needed upgrades, NIU student-athletes, as well as local sports programs that make use of the fields, will benefit from being able to hold practices, games, and tournaments on state-of-the-art playing surfaces.
“We are very excited about the playing surface upgrade this summer,” said men’s soccer coach Ryan Swan. “The high performing turf will allow us to further develop as a team. Furthermore, the surface upgrades will really enhance our style of play.
“We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with AstroTurf. We are excited to be able to practice and play on a top-of-the-line surface that provides playability, consistency, durability, and aesthetics.”
For the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex, AstroTurf® will install a LigaTurf soccer turf system with the RootZone 3D3 blend. LigaTurf is purpose-built for elite soccer play and offers the next best thing to a natural grass field, but without the maintenance requirements or the weather vulnerability issues.
“Northern Illinois has a long tradition of successful soccer, and they are really doing some great things there, said Carl Capellas, Manager of Soccer for AstroTurf. “The soccer field has not been to their level for a long time and that’s why they are getting the LigaTurf line.
“The relationship we have with the school and the AstroTurf products sealed the deal. The relationships and the system sold them on a durable system that’s going to last a long time.”
The Huskies will benefit from the predictable playing surface and incredible durability that AstroTurf® soccer fields offer. The RootZone is engineered to minimize infill splash, helping the turf to stay intact for longer. And the field will also make practice and games safer, enabling the players to push harder when on the pitch. AstroTurf’s LigaTurf RootZone 3D3 soccer turf helps to protect the joints and ensures optimal cleat release, making it a giant improvement over the current turf, which is 14 years old.
For Ralph McKinzie Field, NIU opted for AstroTurf’s Diamond Series RBI baseball turf. It features a RootZone layer to reduce interference from infill splash and create more realistic ball hops and high-tech legend-shaped fibers for unrivaled durability. For this project, the school is replacing the existing dirt and natural grass infield and installing new turf in the foul territory areas. The visiting team bullpen is also getting an upgrade.
“The players and fans both are going to love this new field,” said Aaron Klotz, AstoTurf’s National Manager of Baseball Sales. “The players are going to love the predictable bounces the Diamond Series will give them. Our recipe for baseball systems is the best in the business.”
The upgrade at Ralph McKinzie Field is the first step in the school’s planned Walt and Janice Owens Ballpark project. Walt Owens, known fondly as “Coach O” on campus, was a professional baseball player – he played as both a pitcher and outfielder for the Detroit Stars of the Negro American League – and former NIU baseball head coach. He was also a professor at Northern Illinois University from 1973 until 2007.
When the project is completed, the baseball complex will be formally dedicated in honor of Walt Owens, who passed away in 2020, and his wife, Janice Owens.
The new AstroTurf® fields at the Soccer and Track & Field Complex and Ralph McKinzie Field are part of a larger effort to improve facilities for NIU student-athletes. These upgrades are adding premium-quality resources to the campus that will enable current student-athletes and future generations to get more out of their time being a Huskie.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, 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 www.astroturf.com.
