BALDWIN CITY, Kan., July 25, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Baker University has a long tradition of winning athletic programs that includes pioneering women's athletics before the turn of the century and winning the first intercollegiate football game against the University of Kansas in 1890. About half of Baker's students participate in varsity athletics. And, many of Baker University's recent graduates have gone on to play professional football, basketball, and soccer.
Baker is a founding member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Baker represents great history in athletics and is a cornerstone of NAIA football history. In June 2006, Baker University added to its rich history and tradition by selecting FieldTurf's monofilament turf system for its renowned Emil S. Liston Stadium.
The FieldTurf monofilament engineered system features synthetic fibers with a durable "spine" that runs vertically through the center of each fiber. Like the center stem or vein on a leaf of grass, this spine gives each fiber unmatched "memory," and thus resistance to matting. This system also enhances ball roll properties, bio-mechanics and aesthetics.
Michael Grossner, head football coach at Baker University, commented on his school's new turf. "The field is exactly like we envisioned when we were drawing up the plans. It is a perfect field. The two-tone turf looks great and it is an ideal surface in terms of recruiting and showing potential students around the campus. FieldTurf's monofilament system is a top-notch surface that adds an irreplaceable aesthetic value to our campus. Most importantly, our players love it."
When asked about how the surface compares with Baker's previous natural grass surface, Mr. Grossner stated that there is no comparison. "As far as playability, there is no better surface than FieldTurf. Last year, we had 9 inches of rain in the first 2 days of camp and we had nowhere to go -- that won't happen again with our new field."
The decision makers at Baker University did extensive research on the various synthetic turf products on the market, and no other turf system could come close to offering the same kind of quality that is present in FieldTurf's engineered system.
Mr. Dan Harris, Baker University's Athletic Director, elaborated on why FieldTurf was the obvious choice. "We went through a major process where we visited artificial turf fields from various different synthetic turf manufacturers. We were most impressed with FieldTurf because of its playing characteristics, the quality of the product, and the installation procedure. FieldTurf is the best surface in the world without question. The players are so excited to get the season underway on our new turf. Our stadium will also serve as a showcase for other teams that do not already have FieldTurf."
FieldTurf is currently in use in more than 25 NCAA Division 1-A football stadiums, including Boston College, Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Louisville, Missouri and Rutgers. More than 450 high school stadiums use FieldTurf and four of the top 10 teams in the United States play on FieldTurf. In Major League Baseball and in Major League Soccer / A-League, 100% of the stadiums with artificial turf selected FieldTurf over the competition.
In addition to its growing popularity in the college ranks, FieldTurf has already established itself as the turf of choice in the National Football League. Twenty-two of the NFL's 32 teams currently use FieldTurf at their stadiums and/or their practice facilities.
FieldTurf is the result of years of research and testing. A portfolio of patents protects the many unique inventions that deliver a playing surface that emulates natural grass. FieldTurf's patented infill mix of silica sand and cryogenic rubber, along with its patented layering, improves player safety, reduces maintenance costs and provides facility management flexibility for conversion. FieldTurf enables stadium managers to quickly change the field from one sport to another or to easily host shows, concerts, sporting or other special events directly on top of the FieldTurf surface.
For more information on FieldTurf, please visit www.fieldturf.com or call (800) 724-2969.