South Hadley, MA – The Mount Holyoke College Lyons Field Hockey team started the 2022 hockey season on a newly installed AstroTurf® system at the Mount Holyoke Turf and Track Complex. The updated field was finished in time for summer practices, giving the Lyons plenty of time to break in the new turf before the season started in September.
Lyons Athletics went with one of the most advanced field hockey systems in the world for this project — AstroTurf’s Poligras Platinum. It’s a tufted field constructed with polyethylene fibers, which feature great water resistance and offer student-athletes a non-abrasive playing surface.
The Poligras system was the hockey field of choice at the Summer Olympic Games in London in 2012, Rio in 2016, and Tokyo in 2020. It’s also the playing surface at elite colleges around the country and for every NCAA Division 1 Final Four tournament since the game left natural grass.
“I love the turf, love the look of it and I am super happy with the way it’s playing,” said head coach Andy Whitcomb.
The field at the MHC Turf and Track Complex is victory blue and white. The turf system is non-filled and comes with a short-pile surface to facilitate lightning-fast ball speed.
The turf project will benefit the Lyons field hockey and lacrosse teams immensely. This year will mark 25 years with Mount Holyoke for Whitcomb, the school’s field hockey head coach. Whitcomb has an overall record of 259-183-1 and is a three-time NEWMAC (New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference) Champion. With her at the helm, the Lyons made 21-straight appearances at the NEWMAC Tournament from 1999 on.
The lacrosse program at Mount Holyoke is formidable as well, with regular games against some of the top schools in the country, including Wheaton College, Springfield College, and Babson. Lyons Lacrosse is also a member of NEWMAC.
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.