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Friday the Dukes had a chance to start a new tradition as the team was the first to use the new University Park athletic and recreation complex. The team's first preseason training session was held Friday morning at the 85-acre facility, located at the corner of Port Republic Road and Neff Avenue.
Men's soccer, women's track and field and women's lacrosse will also train and compete at University Park.
Preseason soccer exhibition games are scheduled for Aug. 12 (women vs. VCU, 6 p.m.) and Aug. 14 (men vs. UMBC, 7 p.m.), and the first regular-season game will be played Aug. 19, when the women's soccer team hosts Marshall (7 p.m.).
The athletic facility includes a fully-lighted, irrigated soccer/lacrosse competition field, with a Patriot Bermuda grass playing surface. The playing field is circled by a competition track, which was installed by Beynon Sports. The competition facility has spectator seating for 1,500, a press box, a sound system and an LED scoreboard.
Adjacent to the competition field are two fully-lighted practice fields, one with an irrigated Patriot Bermuda grass surface and the other with a synthetic surface that is an Astroturf MT product. Areas for track and field throws competitions are also part of the facility.
The complex also includes areas for the university's student recreation program that includes a multipurpose synthetic turf, measuring 400' x 620', four tennis courts, a sand volleyball court and two basketball courts. All areas of the complex are lighted for night use.
