Stony Brook University Commemorates Opening of Newly Refurbished Recreation Fields with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
SBU Teams and University Leadership Join to Announce Expanded Sports Facilities
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STONY BROOK, NY, April 16, 2014 – Stony Brook University celebrated the opening of its newly renovated Campus Recreation Field Complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the southeast corner of the South P parking area of the campus. Stony Brook University students will have primary use of the three competition size turf and grass fields which measure over nine square acres and include lights for evening practice and competition.
Stony Brook University now provides double the amount of recreational field space previously available to students prior to refurbishment. Fields A and B are both fitted with lighting and bleacher and bench seating and fields A, B and C have netting to prevent balls from leaving the fields.
Speakers at the ceremony included Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD, President of Stony Brook University, John Flanagan, New York State Senator (2nd Senate District), Kathryn Michaud, SBU’s Women’s Club Soccer Team and Vice President of Sports Club Council and Matthew Graham, ’11 B.Eng, past President of the Undergraduate Student Government and former member of the Men’s Rugby Club.
“It is important that the university provide recreational facilities indoor and outdoor for our student clubs to practice and compete,” said Dr. Stanley. “Stony Brook is committed to the total well-being of our students and by providing access to quality, contemporary and modern facilities, we are able to achieve these goals. On behalf of our students, I want to thank Senator Flanagan who was able to identify and secure more than $100,000 in funding to make these field upgrades possible.”
Student Clubs that will use the fields include but are not limited to men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse and rugby and co-ed sports including ultimate Frisbee, Quiddich as well as archery and cricket. Field use scheduling requests for the intramural competition-quality fields are available on the Stony Brook University Campus Recreation website.
“These new recreational facilities will significantly enhance the quality of life for Stony Brook students while also helping to attract prospective students to the Stony Brook campus,” stated Sen. Flanagan. “I congratulate everyone who was involved in bringing this dream to reality and hope that all students who call SBU home enjoy these new fields.”
“What made this effective was not the individual sports clubs, student government or student body working on this project independently but by joining together with the University’s administration,” said Matthew Graham. “Both parties made it possible and successful.”
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About Stony Brook University
Part of the State University of New York system, Stony Brook University encompasses 200 buildings on 1,450 acres. Since welcoming its first incoming class in 1957, the University has grown tremendously, now with more than 24,000 students and 2,200 faculty. Its membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 62 research institutions in North America. U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 40 public universities in the nation and Kiplinger named it the 29th best value in public colleges for in-state students and 20th for out-of-state students. One of four University Center campuses in the SUNY system, Stony Brook University co-manages Brookhaven National Laboratory, putting it in an elite group of universities that run federal research and development laboratories. Stony Brook is ranked in the top 1 percent of the world’s higher education institutions by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It is one of the top 100 universities in the nation and one of the top 35 public universities as determined by U.S. News & World Report. It was recently ranked one of the 30 best values in public colleges and universities by Kiplinger and is one of only 10 universities nationwide recognized by the National Science Foundation for combining research with undergraduate education. As the largest single-site employer on Long Island, Stony Brook is a driving force of the regional economy, with an annual economic impact of $4.65 billion, generating nearly 60,000 jobs, and accounts for nearly 4 percent of all economic activity in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and roughly 7.5 percent of total jobs in Suffolk County.
Reporter Contact:
Lauren M. Sheprow
University Media Relations Officer
631-632-6310
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