- Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium
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- For other uses, see Alumni Stadium (disambiguation)
Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium 
Location 1 University Drive
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003Coordinates 42°22′38.30″N 72°32′9.67″W / 42.377306°N 72.5360194°WCoordinates: 42°22′38.30″N 72°32′9.67″W / 42.377306°N 72.5360194°W Opened September 25, 1965 Owner University of Massachusetts Amherst Operator University of Massachusetts Amherst Surface Field Turf Construction cost $1.4 million[1] Architect Gordon Bunshaft[2] Capacity 17,000 Tenants UMass Minutemen (NCAA) (1965-Present) Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Home to the UMass Minutemen football team through the 2011 season, and also home to the UMass Minutewomen lacrosse team and the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band, the stadium is named for Warren P. McGuirk, who was the UMass Athletic Director from 1948 to 1971. Although it is located within the University's campus, which is almost entirely in Amherst, the stadium itself lies just across the border in Hadley.
Contents
History
The stadium hosted its first game on September 25, 1965, with UMass beating American International College, 41-0. The stadium was officially dedicated on October 16, 1965, when UMass defeated Rhode Island 30-7 in a Homecoming contest. The most recent sellout at the stadium was on December 2, 2006 with UMass defeating New Hampshire, 24-17. The stadium is also the site of UMass Amherst graduation ceremonies, and hosted the 1987 NCAA women’s soccer championship. On Friday April 10, 2009, an Amherst resident fell from the stadium in what police believe was a suicide.
However, the football team is now set to vacate McGuirk Stadium after the 2011 season. For several years, UMass considered making a move to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). McGuirk Stadium's current capacity is only modestly above the NCAA's requirement of 15,000 average attendance for FBS membership. This would require that UMass expand McGuirk Stadium's seating capacity, build a new facility, or move to a larger stadium in the region. On April 20, 2011, UMass officially announced that the Minutemen football team will move from the FCS Colonial Athletic Association to the FBS Mid-American Conference. As part of the FBS upgrade, the Minutemen are expected to move to the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, 93 miles (150 km) away.[3] This move is expected to be temporary, lasting until renovations to McGuirk Stadium are completed.
The plaza on the east side of the stadium behind the ticket gates, MinuteFan Park, hosts food and souvenir vendors and other exhibitors on game days.
Improvements
McGuirk Stadium's permanent lights, installed August 2008.
A Field Turf playing surface was installed in McGuirk Stadium for the 2006 football season. Lights were installed in the stadium for the 2008 football season, permitting UMass to play night games at home on a regular basis. The first game played under the permanent lights was the season opener on August 30, 2008, with UMass beating Albany 28-16.
A video scoreboard was installed during the 2009 season.
Future
On April 20, 2011 the school officially accepted an invitation to become a football-only member of the Division I FBS Mid-American Conference. Further, the 2011 season would be the last at McGuirk Stadium before a major renovation project. For the 2012 and 2013 seasons the Minutemen will play all of their home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.[4] During this time period plans are in place to upgrade McGuirk Stadium to adequate FBS conditions. Stadium seating is to be increased to about 25,000 seats with more seats being added to the sidelines as well as seating additions to the south end of the stadium. The north end will have a new training facility and locker rooms added, and the press box will be elevated to 2 levels with more TV/radio booths as well as Luxury Suites being added.[5]
The cost of this construction is estimated at $20,000,000 and is expected to be completed in time for the 2014 season. The deal with Gillette Stadium calls for UMass to play at least 4 games per year at the stadium from 2014-2016 which would leave open the possibility for 1-2 games per season during those years to be played on campus at McGuirk Stadium. One of the main reasons for the possibility of games during that period at McGuirk is that the current Mid American Conference TV contract with ESPN typically schedules a handful of MAC games to be played on Tuesday nights in October and November. The thought process is that if UMass were scheduled a home matchup for one of the weeknight games the game could be played on campus thus negating the need to bus students to and from Gillette Stadium late at night on a school night.
The McGuirk renovation project took a big step toward completion, when the UMass Trustees approved a five year 3.1 Billion dollar capital plan. Included in the plan is 30 million dollars to be spent renovating the stadium as part of the transition to FBS football play.[6]
References
- ^ http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/942702502.html?dids=942702502:942702502&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+26%2C+1965&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=UMass+Rocks+AIC&pqatl=google
- ^ http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Atlantic10/Massachusetts/index.htm
- ^ Associated Press (April 19, 2011). "Report: UMass to announce MAC move". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6390279. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
- ^ http://www.gazettenet.com/2011/04/21/import-no-headline-0
- ^ Chimells, Ron (April 23, 2011). "UMass football could play on campus again, but not before 2014". The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts). http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/04/umass_football_could_play_on_c.html. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
- ^ http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/sports/umass/umass-spending-$30-million-on-football
External links
University of Massachusetts Amherst Academics School of Education • College of Engineering • College of Humanities and Fine Arts • Isenberg School of Management • College of Natural Sciences • School of Nursing • Public Health and Health Sciences • College of Social and Behaviorial Sciences • Stockbridge School of Agriculture
Research Campus Facilities: John W. Lederle Graduate Research Center · Justin S. Morrill Science Center · Murray D. Lincoln Campus Center · Orchard Hill Observatory · University Museum of Contemporary Art · W. E. B. Du Bois Library
Landmarks: Old Chapel · Chestnut Ridge Historical Area · East Ridge Historical Area · Ellis Drive Historical AreaAthletics Facilities: Curry Hicks Cage · Earl Lorden Field · William D. Mullins Memorial Center · UMass Softball Complex · Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium
History and Traditions: UMass Minutemen · Sam the Minuteman · UMass Fight Song · University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching BandStudent Life Housing · PVTA · Five Colleges Consortium · Amherst
Media: The Massachusetts Daily Collegian · The Massachusetts Review · WFCR · WMUAPeople Miscellaneous 1980 campus water shortageUMass Minutemen football Established 1878 • Based in Amherst, Massachusetts • Colonial Athletic Association (Mid-American Conference beginning 2012) University Key Personnel Head coach: Kevin Morris • Offensive coordinator: Brian Picucci • Defensive coordinator: Frank ForcucciStadiums Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium • Gillette StadiumRivalries Culture and Lore National Champions (1) 1998Lambert Cups (3) 1978 • 1998 • 2006Conference Championships (22) Yankee Conference: 1960 • 1963 • 1964 • 1966 • 1967 • 1969 • 1971 • 1972 • 1974 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1981 • 1982 • 1986 • 1988 • 1990
A-10: 1998 • 1999 • 2003 • 2006
CAA: 2007Seasons (128) 1880s 1879 • 1880 • 1881 • 1882 • 1883 • 1884 • 1885 • 1886 • 1887 • 1888 • 18891890s 1890 • 1891 • 1892 • 1893 • 1894 • 1895 • 1896 • 1897 • 1898 • 18991900s 1900 • 1901 • 1902 • 1903 • 1904 • 1905 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 19091910s 1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 19191920s 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 19291930s 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 19391940s 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 19491950s 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 19591960s 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 19691970s 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 19791980s 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 19891990s 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 19992000s 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 20092010s 2010 • 2011 • 2012Football stadiums of the Colonial Athletic Association Delaware Stadium (Delaware) • Bridgeforth Stadium (James Madison) • Morse Field at Alfond Stadium (Maine) • Cowell Stadium (New Hampshire) • Foreman Field (Old Dominion) • Meade Stadium (Rhode Island) • E. Claiborne Robins Stadium (Richmond) • Johnny Unitas Stadium (Towson) • Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (UMass) • Villanova Stadium (Villanova) • Zable Stadium (William & Mary)
College football venues in Massachusetts Division I
FBSACC Division I
FCSCAA Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (Massachusetts)
Ivy League Patriot Division II Northeast Ten Bentley Athletic Field (Bentley) • John Homer Miller Field (American International) • Multi-Sport Stadium (Assumption) • W. B. Mason Stadium (Stonehill) • Warrior Field (Merrimack)
Division III ECFC Alumni Field (Becker) • AMCAT Field (Anna Maria) • Athletic Stadium (Mount Ida)
Empire 8 Liberty Alumni Field (WPI)
NEFC Alumni Field (Westfield State) • Cressy Field (Massachusetts–Dartmouth) • Ellis Field (Massachusetts Maritime) • Endicott Stadium (Endicott) • Golden Bear Stadium (Western New England) • John Coughlin Memorial Field (Worcester State) • Maple Street Field (Framingham State) • Robert Elliot Field (Fitchburg State) • Steinbrenner Stadium (MIT) • Swenson Field (Bridgewater State) • Vendetti Field (Nichols) • Walter M. Katz Field (Curry)
NESCAC Categories:- Buildings and structures completed in 1965
- College football venues
- Lacrosse venues
- Sports venues in Massachusetts
- Soccer venues in Massachusetts
- UMass Minutemen football
- American football venues in Massachusetts
- Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States
- Buildings and structures in Hampshire County, Massachusetts
- University of Massachusetts Amherst buildings
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