Facilities & Directions
Smith Field
With an official ceremony Saturday, April 29, 2006, including a ribbon-cutting by head men's lacrosse coach John Raba, Wesleyan opened its new artificial turf field. Then, on Saturday, October 21, 2006, during Wesleyan's Homecoming/Family Weekend festivities, the field received its name - Smith Field, in honor of major benefactor Warren "Renney" Smith '78 and his wife, Tiina. Located in the Long Lane property acquired by Wesleyan from the State of Connecticut several years earlier, the turf field had been under construction since the fall of 2005 and made its varsity debut when the field hockey team hosted Babson College Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006. The turf field is lined for lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer, and is used mainly for women's lacrosse during the spring and field hockey during the fall. Men's lacrosse had played a number of its early-season games on the turf before the opening of Citrin Field, and both soccer teams play on the turf during inclement weather situations or at night under the lights.
Planning for the field began around 2004. The project was completely funded by gifts from alumni, parents, and friends of Wesleyan athletics. Over $1 million had been raised at the time of completion with another $300,000 later raised to support lights, bleachers, a scoreboard, and protective netting.