EWING, N.J. – TCNJ Athletics upgraded several facilities over the summer, namely the installation of new turf in Lions Stadium and a new paint job at the tennis facility. George Ackerman Park, home of the TCNJ baseball team, also received a new sound system.
 
"The student-athlete experience is of the highest priority," said Amanda DeMartino, TCNJ executive director of athletics. "The majority of time athletes dedicate to pursuing excellence in their respective sports happens within their team's athletic venue, so it's crucial that we continue to make our athletic facilities the best they can be."
 
The Lions Stadium surface is a new FieldTurf Core system. TCNJ is just the second college in New Jersey to use the surface, following SHI Stadium, home of Rutgers football. The surface is also prominently used in NFL stadiums that also host Major League Soccer teams. Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta are two of the most prominent FieldTurf Core users. 
 
The system itself is quite interesting. Many people are familiar with FieldTurf and the little rubber pellets that kick up when a wide receiver drags his feet while making a catch along the sideline. The FieldTurf Core system does utilize that crushed rubber in the middle of a three-layer scheme.
 
The base layer is sand, topped by the crushed rubber. The FieldTurf Core operates with a new top layer called CoolPlay. The name is an apt description of its intended result. CoolPlay used an organic cork infill with the intention of cooling the turf, especially useful during the dog days of August's preseason camps. It allows the turf to be 30 percent cooler than a regular rubber system.
 
The new turf at Lions Stadium is marked with football and soccer lines, signaling a shift in the homes of several TCNJ teams. The men's and women's soccer teams will make Lions Stadium their permanent home, switching from the TCNJ Soccer Complex. That facility will receive a new surface (and a new name) that is field hockey-friendly and will resemble the carpet-like AstroTurf surface. The lacrosse team will also call that stadium its new home in the spring.
 
The tennis courts received a makeover with any imperfections sealed, and a fabric added to allow for expansion and contraction with temperature changes. That will help to prevent any future damage to the courts as the seasons change throughout the course of a year.
 
The court was also repainted in U.S. Open Blue and Green (yep, they're real colors). The blue inbounds court came to the U.S. Open in 2005 to provide the most contrast with a tennis ball for players and spectators. The change has caught on around the country, and it's now a feature of the tennis courts at TCNJ. 
 
"This has been a very productive summer with the two renovations that will make a world of difference for our student-athletes," DeMartino said. 
 
The baseball team and its fans will enjoy a new sound system at George Ackerman Park. The six new speakers and new control panel allows Bluetooth connectivity and a pointed, focused sound that will enhance public address announcements and music.
 
The summer's upgrades follows the college's recent trend of facilities upgrades. Last fall, the aquatics center reopened with a brand new filtration system, a full drainage system around the deck, and a completely retiled deck.
 
"It is wonderful see the commitment TCNJ has made over the years to keep it as one of the top facilities in the area," head women's swimming and diving coach Jennifer Harnett said at the time. "The new deck not only looks amazing, but is much safer with less standing water because of the new drainage system."
 
Packer Hall, home of the TCNJ basketball and wrestling programs, received updates prior to the 2017-18 academic year. The upgrades included brand new bleachers with seating for more than 1,000 spectators, an updated court design and backlit scorers' tables. LED lighting will be added to Packer Hall prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
 
"We've already completed some major projects, but there is much more to do," DeMartino said. "We are looking forward to a bright future as we continue to upgrade and make enhancements to some of our other facilities."