Freeland, MI – When it comes to longevity in the sports world it’s hard to top the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association which was established in 1888 and also AstroTurf who invented artificial turf in 1965. Both the athletic conference and the turf company have seen many changes over the years and both have persevered to maintain their legacy as originators and pioneers. There is one more thing that the MIAA and AstroTurf have in common and that is the athletic fields that sprawl across many of their members’ campuses.
Currently, there are 8 AstroTurf fields spread throughout the conference servicing at least 13 sports for the MIAA members. Over fifty percent of all conference soccer matches will be played on AstroTurf this year. At just a slightly lesser percentage will be the conference football games played on AstroTurf. The two newest AstroTurf fields in the conference belong to Adrian College and Albion College.
Adrian College recently installed AstroTurf’s RootZone 3D3 Blend 52 for their multipurpose field. The RootZone 3D3 blend is a premium product that combines slit film and monofilament fibers for optimum durability and structural integrity. It is highlighted by AstroTurf’s patented RootZone sub-layer, a texturized fiber that stabilizes infill and improves shock absorbency. The turf has a 52-ounce face weight, meaning it has a very dense stitching.
Adrian College Athletic Director Michael Duffy stated, “We have some of the premier facilities in NCAA Division III with Docking Stadium as a ‘crown jewel’. We are excited to partner with AstroTurf, a leader in the industry of providing excellent fields for high school, college and professional teams, to establish Kapnick Field. This is a commitment to our teams and student-athletes who use Docking Stadium, which experiences a lot of wear and tear.”
Not to be outdone, Albion College will also have a new AstroTurf football field when the season kicks off this fall. The Britons have installed AstroTurf’s RootZone 3DSF. This signature product features slit film fibers for the ultimate in durability. The premium surface also contains AstroTurf’s RootZone technology that provides benefits such as reduced torque to lower extremities, less infill spray and improved durability.
“Partnering with AstroTurf for our synthetic turf fields has been one of the best decisions we’ve made for our student athletes. We feel we have a great product from safety to aesthetics with our AstroTurf surfaces”, said Matt Arend, Albion College Athletic Director
These two fields are just the latest additions to the conference’s collection of AstroTurf fields in multiple sports. Other AstroTurf installations may be found at Hope College, Kalamazoo College and Olivet College.
As the MIAA and AstroTurf continue to build on their historic successes, it is likely that more and more member schools will look to the inventor of artificial turf and the leading innovator in the business to provide them with premium playing surfaces for superior athletic performance.
About the MIAA:The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association was established 130 years on March 24th, 1888 and competes in NCAA DIII with the current membership of Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. A growing number of high schools, colleges, professional sports teams and municipalities continue to select AstroTurf-branded products for their premium quality, technical superiority, and safety. To learn more, visit AstroTurf’s website at www.astroturf.com