When The University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals football team takes the field for its first home game of the 2018 season on September 15, they’ll play on a new, state-of-the-art field with a unique feature.
Thanks to a $250,000 gift by Methodist Healthcare System and Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, UIW’s Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium is getting a new playing surface. To honor the generosity of Methodist Healthcare System and Metropolitan Methodist Hospital and the partnership between the two organizations, the football field will carry the organization's namesake, with branding on the surface.
The new field is made of FieldTurf, the same company that made the turf fields used by the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
According to UIW, athletes who played FieldTurf were less likely to suffer ligament injuries or concussions, compared to natural grass.
The new field is the first in college football to feature a camouflage pattern in the endzone, which is only right for Military City, USA.
For more information about the new field and UIW football, visit their website.