When Brown’s football team returns to the field this fall, it will have a brand new playing surface to work with. Thanks to the generosity of alumnus and Brown Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Richard Gouse ’68, P’02, Brown Stadium’s field is getting an upgrade from natural grass to synthetic turf.
“The new state-of-the-art turf at Brown Stadium will provide our student-athletes and coaches with a modern home field on which to win Ivy League championships,” says Vice President of Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun ’92, PhD.
Site work is already underway and is on track to be completed in time for the 2021 season opener against the University of Rhode Island, which is the 105th renewal of the Governor’s Cup game. In honor of the project’s lead donor, the field will be designated as Richard Gouse Field at Brown Stadium.
“With the installation of the new turf, we can provide our players with the best surface to compete for, and win, Ivy League trophies,” said Brown Football Head Coach James Perry ’00. “Brown Football plays fast, and we will now have the field to complement our playing style.”
Brown is the final Ivy League school to still play on natural grass. The upgrade to turf will help modernize Brown’s facility and provide a playing surface more conducive to speed and Perry’s “play fast” coaching philosophy.
“As Brown Stadium approaches its centennial, the playing field is the most needed improvement,” says Gouse. “With a new, safe, fast, and advanced artificial turf, Brown will be in an enviable competitive position. I would not have made this gift unless I was convinced that the University is on the right path and has the right leadership to compete for Ivy League championships in football as well as other sports.”
Other athletics facilities updates
The upgrades to the Brown Stadium field are just one of the many projects to improve Brown’s athletics facilities as part of the BrownTogether campaign. Recent projects include the following:
- Phase II of renovations to the Marston Boathouse are complete. The $5 million interior renovation has transformed the outdated facilities into a modern, athlete-centered space. Updates include expanded training space, ergometer rooms, and a state-of-the-art ventilation system.
- Renovations to Meehan Auditorium are also underway. Construction on the $7.5 million project began in March 2021 and is set to wrap up in late summer. Once completed, Brown’s hockey teams will have an entirely revamped locker room center—consisting of men’s and women’s locker room suites and lounges as well as a training room.
- Brown’s basketball teams will return to Pizzitola Sports Center to find some changes as well. Over the past year, both the men’s and women’s locker rooms and the coaches’ offices have undergone renovations.