Schoellkopf Field
Encyclopedia
Schoellkopf Field is a 25,597-capacity stadium
at Cornell University
's Ithaca
-campus that opened in 1915 and is used for the Cornell Big Red football
, sprint football
, lacrosse
and field hockey
teams. It is located just north of Cascadilla Creek on the southern end of the campus, next to Hoy Field
and Lynah Rink
; Schoellkopf Memorial Hall, adjacent to the stadium, contains the Robison Hall of Fame Room, the hall of fame
for Cornell athletics.
Following the suicide of former Cornell football player and head football coach Henry Schoellkopf
in 1912, his close friend, Willard Straight
, donated $100,000 to construct the Schoellkopf Memorial Hall in honor of Henry Schoellkopf. The building was completed in 1913. In response to Straight's generous gift, members of the Schoellkopf family and the Zeta Psi Fraternity donated $70,000 for the construction of Schoellkopf Field in honor of the Schoellkopf family patriarch, Jacob F. Schoellkopf Sr. Schoellkopf Field was completed in 1915.
During May of every year, weather permitting, Schoellkopf is the site of the commencement
ceremony for Cornell's Ithaca
campus. Schoellkopf Field hosted the Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
in 1980 and the Drum Corps International
World Championships in 1974.
Schoellkopf's original capacity when it was completed was about 9,000, but it has been expanded and changed many times over the years. In 1924, the newly-completed "Crescent" replaced the original stands on the east side of the field, increasing seating to about 21,500. In 1947, the stadium's capacity was again increased, this time to its current capacity of 25,597, with permanent steel fixtures to the west of the field.
In 1971, the surface of the field was converted to "Polyturf", an artificial turf
. The field has had its turf replaced by a newer type of turf in 1979, 1988, 1999, and, most recently, in 2008. The press box above and behind the west stands was built in 1986. During the summer of 2005, renovations on deteriorating concrete forced the university to close the Crescent, but it reopened in time for the fall football season. The newly renovated Memorial Hall at the north end of the field opened in 2006, containing improved locker rooms and training facilities. The Hall was expanded with a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) three-story wing on the hall's east side, with the varsity football locker rooms on the first floor, a new Hall of Fame Room on the second floor and a Tradition Room, where memorabilia commemorating 118 years of Cornell football will be displayed on the third floor. Over the summer of 2008, Cornell replaced the current artificial turf with a FieldTurf
pitch.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
's Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
-campus that opened in 1915 and is used for the Cornell Big Red football
Cornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
, sprint football
Sprint football
Sprint football, formerly called lightweight football, is a varsity sport played by United States colleges and universities, under rules similar to American football. The sport is currently governed by the Collegiate Sprint Football League....
, lacrosse
Cornell Big Red men's lacrosse
The Cornell Big Red Men's Lacrosse team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Cornell competes as a member of the Ivy League, of which they have won 23 conference championships. The Big Red have appeared in the NCAA tournament 22...
and field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
teams. It is located just north of Cascadilla Creek on the southern end of the campus, next to Hoy Field
Hoy Field
David F. Hoy Field, usually referred to simply as Hoy Field, is a baseball field at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where the Big Red's baseball team plays...
and Lynah Rink
Lynah Rink
Lynah Rink is a 4,267-seat hockey arena at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, that opened in 1957. Named after James Lynah, Class of 1905, who was the director of Cornell athletics from 1935-1943, it is home to the Big Red men's and women's ice hockey teams.Lynah has been home to hockey greats...
; Schoellkopf Memorial Hall, adjacent to the stadium, contains the Robison Hall of Fame Room, the hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
for Cornell athletics.
Following the suicide of former Cornell football player and head football coach Henry Schoellkopf
Henry Schoellkopf
Henry Schoellkopf was an American football player and coach. He was selected as an All-American fullback while attending Harvard Law School in 1903...
in 1912, his close friend, Willard Straight
Willard Straight
Willard Dickerman Straight was an American investment banker, publisher, reporter and diplomat.-Biography:...
, donated $100,000 to construct the Schoellkopf Memorial Hall in honor of Henry Schoellkopf. The building was completed in 1913. In response to Straight's generous gift, members of the Schoellkopf family and the Zeta Psi Fraternity donated $70,000 for the construction of Schoellkopf Field in honor of the Schoellkopf family patriarch, Jacob F. Schoellkopf Sr. Schoellkopf Field was completed in 1915.
During May of every year, weather permitting, Schoellkopf is the site of the commencement
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
ceremony for Cornell's Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
campus. Schoellkopf Field hosted the Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
in 1980 and the Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
World Championships in 1974.
Modifications
In 1971, the surface of the field was converted to "Polyturf", an artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. The field has had its turf replaced by a newer type of turf in 1979, 1988, 1999, and, most recently, in 2008. The press box above and behind the west stands was built in 1986. During the summer of 2005, renovations on deteriorating concrete forced the university to close the Crescent, but it reopened in time for the fall football season. The newly renovated Memorial Hall at the north end of the field opened in 2006, containing improved locker rooms and training facilities. The Hall was expanded with a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) three-story wing on the hall's east side, with the varsity football locker rooms on the first floor, a new Hall of Fame Room on the second floor and a Tradition Room, where memorabilia commemorating 118 years of Cornell football will be displayed on the third floor. Over the summer of 2008, Cornell replaced the current artificial turf with a FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
pitch.