New AstroTurf® Field Will Greet Owls in 2021
8/4/2021 11:49:00 AM | Football
AstroTurf® RootZone 3D3 60-ounce turf
While the Rice football team will open training camp on Friday, work began Tuesday on an upgrade to their historic home field with the installation of a new AstroTurf® RootZone 3D3 60-ounce turf, a high-performance playing surface. Work on the project began on Tuesday.
Owl fans can follow the progress of the installation live via a webcam sponsored by Symmetry Sports Construction which is handling the installation of the new surface.
With a 2-inch pile height and a Brock YSR shock pad, the new field offers unrivaled support and shock absorption. The Owls' RootZone 3D3 system also comes with special features, including a unique monofilament fiber that's purpose-built to increase resilience.
The RootZone itself is a proprietary infill stabilization system of textured nylon. It holds the premium sand and BrockFill infill in place efficiently, which prevents splash and migration. All of these elements come together to form a consistent surface that athletes prefer while living up to AstroTurf's longstanding reputation for producing products that enhance durability, safety, and sports performance.
This system, that includes AstroTurf's 3D3 technology over a BrockPad and BrockFill was recently awarded Innovation of the Year by STMA. Often found in Texas installations, this system captures the latest advances in the sports construction industry.
The new AstroTurf field at Rice Stadium is one more chapter in the company's storied history with Rice Athletics. Located less than two miles from the Houston Astrodome, the venue that introduced AstroTurf to the world, Rice Stadium was one of the first Division 1 football fields that was converted to synthetic turf in 1970. Four years later, Rice Stadium became the first Super Bowl played on an AstroTurf field.
The recently finished Robert L. Waltrip Indoor Training Center, an 80,000 square foot inflatable structure built to house practices for the school's intercollegiate sports teams in addition to intramural and community events, is also an AstroTurf RootZone3D3 60-ounce Trionic system field. Completed in 2020, the Waltrip Center is the latest in over $54 million in upgrades and new construction projects directly benefitting each of Owls' 16 intercollegiate programs over the past seven years. AstroTurf® also installed the end zone replacements at Rice Stadium in 2018 with the Owls' updated branding.
This latest installation for the football team will replace the RootZone 3DM system AstroTurf installed at the stadium in 2014. It is also the perfect project to mark the start of an exciting season for the Owls.
Despite missing out on half of their games due to COVID-19, the Owls made national headlines by shutting out 15th ranked Marshall on the road in 2020 and enter their first season on their new playing surface having won five of their last eight games since the end of 2019.
The Owls are sitting on a talented returning starting, including 19 of 22 starters from last season in addition to the return of several key starters from 2019 who missed last season and another celebrated class of incoming recruits.
After opening the 2021 season with a road contest at Arkansas on September 4th , their new field will have its debut when the Owls host cross-town rival Houston in the 40th Bayou Bucket, which will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. The home schedule also includes games with Texas Southern, Southern Mississippi, North Texas, WKU, and LA Tech.
Season tickets for the 2021 campaign are currently on sale online or by calling the Rice ticket office at (713) 348-OWLS (6957) for further assistance. Group tickets are also now on sale and to learn more about a potential group outing by filling out the online information form. Please visit our Rice Football ticket page for additional information.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport, and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. 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. To learn more, visit AstroTurf's website at www.astroturf.com.
Owl fans can follow the progress of the installation live via a webcam sponsored by Symmetry Sports Construction which is handling the installation of the new surface.
With a 2-inch pile height and a Brock YSR shock pad, the new field offers unrivaled support and shock absorption. The Owls' RootZone 3D3 system also comes with special features, including a unique monofilament fiber that's purpose-built to increase resilience.
The RootZone itself is a proprietary infill stabilization system of textured nylon. It holds the premium sand and BrockFill infill in place efficiently, which prevents splash and migration. All of these elements come together to form a consistent surface that athletes prefer while living up to AstroTurf's longstanding reputation for producing products that enhance durability, safety, and sports performance.
This system, that includes AstroTurf's 3D3 technology over a BrockPad and BrockFill was recently awarded Innovation of the Year by STMA. Often found in Texas installations, this system captures the latest advances in the sports construction industry.
The new AstroTurf field at Rice Stadium is one more chapter in the company's storied history with Rice Athletics. Located less than two miles from the Houston Astrodome, the venue that introduced AstroTurf to the world, Rice Stadium was one of the first Division 1 football fields that was converted to synthetic turf in 1970. Four years later, Rice Stadium became the first Super Bowl played on an AstroTurf field.
The recently finished Robert L. Waltrip Indoor Training Center, an 80,000 square foot inflatable structure built to house practices for the school's intercollegiate sports teams in addition to intramural and community events, is also an AstroTurf RootZone3D3 60-ounce Trionic system field. Completed in 2020, the Waltrip Center is the latest in over $54 million in upgrades and new construction projects directly benefitting each of Owls' 16 intercollegiate programs over the past seven years. AstroTurf® also installed the end zone replacements at Rice Stadium in 2018 with the Owls' updated branding.
This latest installation for the football team will replace the RootZone 3DM system AstroTurf installed at the stadium in 2014. It is also the perfect project to mark the start of an exciting season for the Owls.
Despite missing out on half of their games due to COVID-19, the Owls made national headlines by shutting out 15th ranked Marshall on the road in 2020 and enter their first season on their new playing surface having won five of their last eight games since the end of 2019.
The Owls are sitting on a talented returning starting, including 19 of 22 starters from last season in addition to the return of several key starters from 2019 who missed last season and another celebrated class of incoming recruits.
After opening the 2021 season with a road contest at Arkansas on September 4th , their new field will have its debut when the Owls host cross-town rival Houston in the 40th Bayou Bucket, which will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. The home schedule also includes games with Texas Southern, Southern Mississippi, North Texas, WKU, and LA Tech.
Season tickets for the 2021 campaign are currently on sale online or by calling the Rice ticket office at (713) 348-OWLS (6957) for further assistance. Group tickets are also now on sale and to learn more about a potential group outing by filling out the online information form. Please visit our Rice Football ticket page for additional information.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sports enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The brand offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport, and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. 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. To learn more, visit AstroTurf's website at www.astroturf.com.
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