Johnny Unitas Stadium

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Johnny Unitas Stadium
Location Intersection of Osler and Auburn Drives
Towson, MD 21252
Opened 2002
Owner Towson University
Operator Towson University
Surface Astroturf
Former names Minnegan Field, Towson Stadium
Tenants Towson Athletics
Capacity 11,000

Johnny Unitas Stadium at Minnegan Field is a multi-purpose, football and lacrosse stadium in Towson, Maryland.

Contents

[edit] History

It was renovated from the ground up in 2002 to accommodate a Division I team, and now holds 11,000 people. Towson University hosts its home games at this stadium. The stadium is named for the Baltimore Colts' Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, who had taken a job trying to find a corporate sponsor for the stadium with Towson University weeks before his death in 2002. In fact, Unitas threw his last public pass at the re-opening of the facility (as Towson Stadium) mere days before his death[1]. His widow, Sandy, felt it appropriate to honor him by having the stadium named for him instead, with fundraising in his name taking the place of the money that a corporate naming would have supplied.

[edit] Tenants

The stands at Johnny Unitas Stadium
The stands at Johnny Unitas Stadium

It is the home field for the Towson Football, Field Hockey, Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse, and Men’s & Women’s Track and Field teams. Minnegan Field, named after long-time faculty member, athletic director and coach Donald “Doc” Minnegan, is an AstroTurf artificial playing surface.

In addition to Towson events, the stadium has also been used for high school football and lacrosse events, the Under 19 World Lacrosse Championship, Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Lacrosse Championships as well as competition in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championships.

The Baltimore Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse used Johnny Unitas Stadium as their home stadium from 2004 to 2006.

Unitas Stadium's field
Unitas Stadium's field

[edit] Field House

On April 26, 2003 the final renovations to the stadium were completed with the construction of the four-story, 48,000-square-foot (4,500 m²) field house located in the stadium’s west end zone area. The field house features offices, meeting rooms, locker rooms, class rooms, a film editing room an athlete learning center, an athletic training room and an equipment room. A rooftop patio will treat guests to a view of athletic contests. The facility houses the Football, Field Hockey, and the Men’ and Women’s Lacrosse teams.

[edit] The Minnegan Room

The Minnegan room located on the third floor of the field house is, named after long time faculty member, athletic director and coach "Doc" Minnegan. It is a multipurpose room that has a top view of the action on the field as well as the stadium. The Minnegan room can accommodate up to 200 guests.

[edit] Ford-Vetter Athletic Sports Medicine Facility

This is an area that serves the student-athletes' medical needs. This 3,000-square-foot (280 m²) facility includes separate taping, treatment, rehabilitation, and hydrotherapy areas. The state-of-the-art hydrotherapy and rehabilitation areas include the Swimex system and Biodex training equipment. The facility also includes a physician exam room, conference room, and staff offices.

[edit] External links