Boston University Adds DI Men’s Lacrosse, State-Of-The-Art Athletic Field


BOSTON – Boston University today announced plans for a new state-of-the-art athletic field for field hockey and the entire BU community, made possible in part by a $3 million gift from Boston-based New Balance. The 110,000 square-foot field will be named New Balance Field and will provide BU’s nationally ranked field hockey team with a new on-campus facility. The team has played its ‘home’ games off-campus since the 2001 season.

“New Balance Field will be a major addition to our athletic and recreation facilities,” said BU President Dr. Robert A. Brown. “I am very grateful to New Balance for its leadership and support and to our alumni who have given generously to make this facility a reality. The field will benefit not only our student-athletes and the greater Boston University community, but it will allow us to expand our very successful NCAA Division I athletics program.”

The new field, with seating for 1,000, will be built above the current site of the Babcock Street parking lot at the corner of Babcock and Ashford Streets. The space beneath the field will provide approximately 350 parking spaces. In addition, the field will host a 500 square-foot press box. The total cost of the parking structure and the field is estimated to be $24 million.

“As a Boston-based company with a long-standing commitment to promoting health and fitness and giving back to the local community, we are excited to help provide this valuable athletic resource for the Boston University community,” said New Balance President and CEO Rob DeMartini. “We share Boston University’s passion and dedication to continued innovation, excellence in sport, and enhancing the lives of their student-athletes and the greater Boston University community.”

Along with the development of New Balance Field, which enhances student life by virtually doubling the amount of field space on campus, BU announced the addition of women’s lightweight rowing beginning with the 2012-13 season and that men’s lacrosse will elevate from a club sport to varsity status beginning with the 2013-14 season. Men’s lacrosse will play home games on Nickerson Field, while women’s lightweight rowing will call the DeWolfe Boathouse home.

This marks the first time the roster of sports at BU has expanded since 2004, when women’s ice hockey was added, and brings the total number of sports offered to 25, 11 men’s sports and 14 women’s sports.

“This is another giant step forward for our program, with strategic investments in programs that are vital to the continued development of our department and the enhanced national visibility of the BU Athletics’ brand,” said BU Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Lynch. “We are thrilled with this development and wish to thank all those who are helping to bring it to fruition.”

Construction of the new field complex is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2012 and the field is slated for use in the fall of 2013.

About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance is currently the only athletic shoe company that manufactures footwear in the U.S. with 25% of our U.S. footwear shipments produced at five New England facilities. The company also operates a manufacturing facility in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 4000 associates around the globe, and in 2010 reported worldwide sales of $1.78 billion. To learn more about how New Balance Makes Excellent Happen, please visit www.newbalance.com.

About Boston University
Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized private research university with more than 30,000 students participating in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. BU consists of 17 colleges and schools along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes which are central to the school’s research and teaching mission.

Posted in

Lacrosse Playground

In 2009, Adam O’Neill, Harry Alford and Thomas Alford launched Lacrosse Playground as the preeminent site for lacrosse gearheads. For years Lacrosse Playground provided lacrosse fans with tutorials and tips on how to string a lacrosse head, up-close looks at the gear the top players used and sneak peeks at equipment and uniforms before they were released. More than 10 years and millions of visits later, Lacrosse Playground has relaunched with a focus on storytelling. Our mission is to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest lacrosse news, share insights into the sports betting and fantasy lacrosse world and showcase the lifestyles and personalities of the sport of lacrosse through articles, videos and podcasts.

1 Comment

  1. […] New York programs at the top, it’s the birth of programs such as the University of Michigan and Boston University (2013-14) that really proves it.Then factor in women’s lacrosse and you’ll find even more […]

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.