Ralph Korte Stadium

Last updated
Ralph Korte Stadium
The Ralph
SIUE Cougars logo.svg
Ralph Korte Stadium
Former namesThe Stadium @ Bob Guelker Field
Cougar Field
AddressStadium Drive
SIUE Campus
LocationEdwardsville, Illinois
Coordinates 38°46′54″N90°00′41″W / 38.781755°N 90.011379°W / 38.781755; -90.011379
Owner Southern Illinois University
Operator Southern Illinois University Athletics
Type Stadium
Seating typeBleachers
Capacity 3,000 seats +1,000 on lawn
Record attendanceSoccer = 8,000+ (est.)
Current Config. = 4,665
T&F = 11,07
Field sizeField: 120x75 yards
Track: 400 meter oval
SurfaceArtificial turf
ScoreboardElectronic
Current use Soccer
Track and field
Construction
Built1993–94
Opened24 June 1994;30 years ago (1994-06-24)
Renovated2013 (latest)
Expanded1993–94, 2009
Tenants
Website
siuecougars.com/ralph-korte-stadium

Ralph Korte Stadium, also known as "The Ralph", is a 4,000 seat stadium located on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. It is home to the SIUE Cougars men's and women's soccer and outdoor track & field teams. [1] In addition to the stands on the west side of the field, a berm was put in on the east side in 2011 to provide lawn seating for the tailgating fans known as "The East Siders."

Contents

Construction

The stadium was constructed on university property surrounding the existing "Bob Guelker Field" in 1993–94 by the City of Edwardsville as a site to host the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival. [2] [3] In 1998, the university trustees named the stadium to honor Ralph Korte, the founder of The Korte Company of Highland, an SIUE alumnus and strong advocate of the school. [4]

The soccer playing surface was named, on November 1, 1986, in honor of Bob Guelker, the coach who inaugurated SIUE's men's soccer program and led it to the NCAA Division II championship in 1972 and the Division I crown in 1979.

Usage

The Korte Stadium and its earlier incarnation, Cougar Field, has hosted the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship in 1970 and 1975, the 1972 Division II Men's Soccer Championship, and the Division II NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2003. It was also the home stadium for the Saint Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer for part of their 2009 season, during which the capacity was expanded to 5,000 seats; the team later started playing at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park.

Features

The track features eight 48-inch lanes, with European-style broad turns (118 meters) and short straightaways (82 meters). The field event facilities include high jump aprons; pole vault runways; long jump/triple jump pits; shot put, discus, and hammer throw rings; and javelin throw runways on the west side, just outside the stadium grandstand.

The Gateway Arch on the St. Louis riverfront, 25 miles to the southwest, can be seen from the top of the stands at The Ralph.

Record attendance

The record single-day attendance for a track & field competition is 11,072 on July 10, 1994 at the U.S. Olympic Festival.

Although an estimated crowd of over 8,000 was present for the 1971 Bronze Boot game versus St. Louis at Cougar Field, the largest soccer crowd in the stadium's current configuration was 4,665 for the Homecoming game against Bradley on October 4, 2014. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Ralph Korte Stadium & Sports Complex". Travel Illinois. ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "SIUE 50th Anniversary Historical Timeline". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Maps & Directions - Ralph Korte Stadium". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Alumni Profiles- Ralph Korte". Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Bradley vs. SIUE at Edwardsville, Ill., 10/4/2014 at 7 p.m." Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
1970
1975		Succeeded by

38°46′57″N90°00′41″W / 38.782458°N 90.011394°W / 38.782458; -90.011394

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