Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium will not only have a new look, with the Maryland flag covering the entire end zone on both sides, but also a new feel - hopefully, a cooler one.
On Wednesday, the school announced the new design of Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium. The rumors of a black turf were put to rest, but the big news regarding the field cannot be seen in the renderings released by the school.
According to the official release, the privately funded project to redo the field will result in the "coolest synthetic turf field in the nation."
The project at Maryland is the first of its kind in the United States and will feature exclusive new heat-reducing technology - CoolPlay - which, coupled with the patented silica sand and cryogenic rubber infill, will provide the facility with the "coolest" infill technology. FieldTurf has done extensive temperature testing which shows that CoolPlay infill provides for a difference of up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit versus traditional rubber infill systems.
The school did say that the decision to leave the turf green in color was to "enhance playability for all sports expected to use the facility." The "Maryland Pride" design in each end zone falls in line with the new Under Armour uniforms debuted in 2011, and the theme Randy Edsall has been using as his major pitch to in-state recruits.
"This is an exciting time for our program," Edsall said. "We have had a great off-season with recruiting and with our players working very hard in preparation for the upcoming season. The addition of this new field will excite our entire student body and will be invaluable when it comes to recruiting in the future."
Edsall provided a current view of the project, via his Twitter account.
Thoughts on the new technology? Think it will help the Terps improve on their 2-10 showing in 2011? Let us know in the comments section below.
Stadium renderings via Maryland Athletics
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