Worcester, MA — College of the Holy Cross is well-known as one of the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country, but it’s also home to 27 Division 1 sports teams and a highly admired athletics program. Continuing this tradition, the school recently invested $3.1 million to upgrade Hart Turf Field and Hart Track, giving the Holy Cross field hockey and track and field teams the opportunity to play on leading-edge synthetic turf and track surfaces. The new installations began on May 13, and the project is expected to be completed in September.
Holy Cross opted for a new AstroTurf 12 field hockey turf. AstroTurf 12 is the original system that AstroTurf®, the leader in synthetic turf technology, created for field-hockey-exclusive fields. It’s a remarkably durable field consisting of knitted nylon, which absorbs water easily and creates a consistent playing surface for athletes.
In addition to installing a new AstroTurf 12 system, Holy Cross is putting in a new irrigation system with six high-pressure water cannons. The new system will reduce the amount of water needed to irrigate the surface by nearly 50 percent.
“This renovation means so much to the field hockey program,” said head field hockey coach Lindsay Jackson. “The additional piece of having an irrigation system installed is a long time coming and such an impactful addition that will improve our practice and game-day experience tremendously — not only for the team but also our facilities department and community, as it will be an efficient use of our resources.”
AstroTurf® has been a major player in the field hockey turf world for years. In 1975, the first International Field Hockey game was played on AstroTurf® in Montreal. AstroTurf is also the official artificial surface provider for both USA Field Hockey and the National Field Hockey Association and is the preferred supplier of the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
The track surrounding the field hockey turf is also being resurfaced this summer with an AstroTurf Corporation product. The Holy Cross Crusaders will be running on a newly resurfaced Rekortan RT track. The track will be resurfaced with the school’s colors, purple and gray, creating a fresh look that the student-athletes can take pride in.
The new track will have a textured structural polyurethane layer, which binds the rubber and enhances the longevity of the track surfacing. It will replace the existing Beynon Sports Surface BSS 1000 Full Pour Embedded Track, which was installed along with the existing AstroTurf® field hockey turf in 2011.
ATT Sports Inc, the most trusted name in running track surfacing in the Northeast, will be installing the new track for Holy Cross.
“The resurfacing will not only enhance the look of the track but will add spring back to it,” said Patrick Buganaski from ATT. “Holy Cross is a well-known Division 1 program with a beautiful campus, and we’re excited about the project going forward.”
With the newly renovated Hart Turf Field and Hart Track, Holy Cross will continue to offer student-athletes the opportunity to train and compete on state-of-the-art surfaces. “This facility will be a showpiece guaranteed to attract recruits and inspire better performances,” said Egetta Alfonso, long-time head coach of the women’s track and field team.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, 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.
About Rekortan:
Designed for the current day athlete, the Rekortan track system is a diverse, world-class series of polyurethane running tracks that are unmatched in quality and performance. The Rekortan debut in 1969 revolutionized the track world with quality and innovation, forever crowning our systems as “the fast tracks.” Rekortan is part of the SportGroup, arguably the largest sports surfacing company in the world.
About ATT Sports Inc:
With more than 650 projects completed, ATT Sports is the most trusted name in running track surfacing in the Northeast. Our dedicated and experience crews prefer Advanced Polymer Technology products, ensuring consistent quality from job to job, and helping us complete projects in tight time frames with flexibility to handle complications from outside factors, like the weather. APT also allows us to keep their promise to customers and deliver the world’s best track surfaces, on time, at the right price, and safely.