(LOUISVILLE, Kentucky) - The University of Louisville is gaining a reputation as a world-class program under a new world-class coach. In 2011, the Cardinals will play on a new world-class AstroTurf® surface.
The Cardinals, under first-year head coach Justine Sowry, were 13-7 and ranked 14th in the nation in 2010.
The program will also get a boost this year when they host the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships for the fourth time since 2002 at Trager Stadium.
“As the new head coach, the installation of the new AstroTurf® is exciting for us,” said Justine Sowry, head coach of the Louisville field hockey team. “This is a new chapter for our program and a chance to establish our own culture, vision, and goals. Part of that comes from having the best facilities in the country and a tremendous step in that direction is having a world-class field.”
Sowry, a native of Australia, previously coached for four years at the University of Massachusetts, where she won three Atlantic 10 Championships and made three NCAA appearances. Sowry was at Louisville as an assistant coach from 1998-2002. She has also been an assistant at Stanford University and for the U.S. National Team.
As a player, Sowry was a member of the Australian National Team and made 128 international appearances. She represented Australia from 1993-2001, and won gold medals in the World Cup in 1994 and 1998.
In her experience as a player and coach, she has been all over the world. Sowry says she played predominantly on AstroTurf® and believes that is the only choice for a great field because it is proven and tested at all levels. She knows it will benefit her team in preparation and games, as well as how it will affect Louisville’s reputation.
“This new field and hosting the NCAA Championships will highlight our program in Division I field hockey circles,” said Sowry.
Sowry and the Cardinals’ program are truly on the move.
“Justine was a great player and is a great coach,” said Pam Hixon, a field hockey hall-of-famer, is a legendary coach and is currently the Field Hockey Ambassador for AstroTurf®. “With her coaching ability, the talent of the Louisville team, and having the finest AstroTurf ® field, means that the Louisville program is on its way to the top.”
Construction is underway on the new AstroTurf® field and will be completed by June 1st.
The field will be an AstroTurf® 12 synthetic turf system. The field will be engineered with a premium knitted nylon system designed to provide uniform traction and consistent footing. It will improve playability when it is wet and absorbs water to maintain wet conditions longer.
“We have a strong program with a very high-profile facility,” said Pete Cautilli, Associate Athletic Director at Louisville. “AstroTurf® 12 is recognized as the industry leader for field hockey playing surfaces. For us, that was the logical choice.”
Upon completion, the field will be utilized for camps and training. The first home game of the year will feature the Cardinals taking on California on August 26th. The 2011 schedule will find the Cardinals facing seven of the Top 20 teams in the country and six teams which participated in the 2010 NCAA Championships. Louisville will play nine home games at Trager Stadium.
The NCAA Championships will take place on the new AstroTurf® at Trager Stadium in November. The semifinals will be held November 18th and the finals will take place on November 20th.
The installation of the new AstroTurf® field is currently underway and you can watch it live at www.astroturfusa.com.
About AstroTurf®
For many athletes and sport enthusiasts, the AstroTurf® brand has redefined the way the game is played. The company offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies, leveraging the industry’s only vertically integrated manufacturing system. 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. Recent innovations from AstroTurf® include GameDay Grass™ 3D with RootZone®, a polyethylene/nylon hybrid system which most closely replicates natural grass; TurfAide™, a non-chemical antimicrobial shield protecting against MRSA and other infectious bacteria; and AstroFlect™ Technology which significantly reduces turf surface temperatures. To learn more, visit www.astroturfusa.com.
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