USF Track and Field Stadium

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USF Track and Field Stadium
USF Track and Field Stadium
Former namesUSF Soccer Stadium (1978–1991)
USF Soccer and Track Stadium (1991–2010)
Location Tampa, Florida
Coordinates 28°03′47″N82°24′24″W / 28.063024°N 82.406741°W / 28.063024; -82.406741
Owner University of South Florida
Operator University of South Florida
Capacity 4,000 (all-seated)
SurfaceGrass (field), Mondo track surface (track)
Construction
Opened1978
Renovated1991, 1998, 2008, 2022
Tenants
South Florida Bulls men's soccer 1978–2010
South Florida Bulls women's soccer 1995–2010
South Florida Bulls men's track & field 1991-present
South Florida Bulls women's track & field 1991-present
Tampa Bay Rowdies 1991–1992
Tampa Bay Cyclones 1995–1996

The USF Track and Field Stadium (formerly known as the USF Soccer Stadium from 1978 to 1991 and the USF Soccer and Track Stadium from 1991 to 2010) is a track and field stadium that was built in 1978. The stadium is currently home to the men's and women's track and field teams from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. It also hosted the school's men's and women's soccer programs from 1978 and 1995 respectively through the end of their 2010 seasons.

Contents

History

The 4,000-seat stadium was built in 1978 on the site of the USF Soccer Field, which from 1965–1978 was only a field and did not have any permanent bleachers. The stadium was renovated to add a running track in 1991, when USF's men's and women's track and field programs were founded.

The configuration of the track was slightly altered in 1998.

In 2008, the stadium was remodeled again. The renovations included new lighting, a new state-of-the-art Mondo track surface (the same type of surface that is used in the Olympics), a new electronic scoreboard, and some aesthetic features. [1]

In the fall of 2010, USF began construction on a new soccer stadium. The new Corbett Soccer Stadium hosted its first match on August 23, 2011, as the Bulls men's team defeated the crosstown rival University of Tampa Spartans 2–1 in the annual preseason Rowdies Cup. [2] The original stadium remains in use as a track and field facility and for other events.

Another new track surface was installed in 2022 to replace the one installed in 2008. For the first time, the track was made to be USF's green and gold instead of red, which had been the color since the track was added to the facility in 1991. [3]

Events hosted

The 4,000 capacity stadium has hosted several events throughout the years including Lamar Hunt US Open Cup matches, the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship final twice, the C-USA soccer tournaments for men and women, the men's Big East soccer tournament, the C-USA track and field championships once, and the American Athletic Conference track and field championships twice. [1]

In 1984, when Tampa hosted Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium, the Washington Redskins practiced at the stadium. Concerned about the lack of privacy at the stadium, the Redskins purchased a green tarpaulin that was attached to the fence around the stadium. The Redskins donated the tarp to the university and it remained in use for many years.

In the mid-1980s the stadium hosted preseason training for the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL), including stars Herschel Walker and Brian Sipe. The Generals' players stayed and dined at nearby Fontana Hall.

The 1990 and 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament semifinal and championship games were hosted at the stadium.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies played one 1990 playoff game there before using the facility full-time in 1991 and 1992 for home games while playing in the American Professional Soccer League. [4] [5] [6] The Tampa Bay Cyclones of the USISL played most of their home games there in 1995 and 1996 before moving to Jacksonville.

USF's football spring game was played at the stadium from 1998 until 2011.

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The 1991 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament was the 33rd annual tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the national champion of men's collegiate soccer among its Division I members in the United States.

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The South Florida Bulls track and field program represents the University of South Florida in the sport of track and field. The program consists of separate men's and women's teams and competes in the American Athletic Conference within NCAA Division I. Both of the Bulls track and field teams are coached by Abigi Id-Deen, who was named coach in August 2023. Distance events are coached by Bulls cross country coach Tony Nicolosi, and the cross country and track and field programs are directed by Erik Jenkins, who was formerly the head coach of the teams. The teams practice and host outdoor meets at the USF Track and Field Stadium. While the university sponsors indoor teams as well, the university does not have an indoor track facility suitable to host meets. There is an indoor track in the Campus Recreation Center which the teams use for practice, but it has no space for indoor field events or spectators.

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The University of South Florida athletic facilities are the stadiums and arenas the South Florida Bulls use for their home games and training. The University of South Florida currently sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and has 11 facilities in the designated Athletics District on or adjacent to its Tampa campus, one on its St. Petersburg campus, and one elsewhere in Tampa. 18 of the 19 teams have some sort of facility in the USF Athletics District.

The South Florida Bulls lacrosse team will represent the University of South Florida in the sport of women's lacrosse beginning in spring 2025. They will compete in the American Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Bulls will play their home games at Corbett Stadium on USF's Tampa campus, which they will share with the USF men's and women's soccer teams. It is the university's newest varsity sports team and the first new USF team since football was established in 1997. It will be the first new women's team in an NCAA sport at USF since women's soccer in 1995.

References

  1. 1 2 "USF Track & Field Stadium". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  2. "USF soccer begins new era with Corbett Soccer Stadium | The Oracle". usforacle.com. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  3. USF Athletics. "We've got some more exciting improvements happening around campus! It's just the beginning with new updates to the Track and Field facilities!". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  4. "Image: 1990-8-10+Rowdies+vs+Bays+PO+Report.jpg, (1063 × 786 px)". 2.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  5. "Strikers Look Bad, But Still Sneak By Rowdies 1-0 - tribunedigital-sunsentinel". articles.sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  6. "APSL 1992 Season". a-leaguearchive.tripod.com. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
1990–1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by Home of the
Tampa Bay Rowdies

1991–1992
Succeeded by