Roberts Stadium (soccer stadium) explained

Stadium Name:Roberts Stadium
Fullname:Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium
Location:Princeton, NJ 08540
Broke Ground:May, 2007
Opened:September 2, 2008
Demolished:2019
Rebuilt:2022
Reopened:October 2, 2022
Owner:Princeton University
Operator:Princeton University
Surface:Grass
Construction Cost:$8.4 million
Architect:Anderson Architects[1]
General Contractor:Fitzpatrick & Associates, Inc[2]
Tenants:Princeton Tigers Men's & Women's Soccer (NCAA) (2008-present)
Seating Capacity:2,356
Dimensions:120 x 75 yards[3]

Roberts Stadium is a rebuilt 2,356 seat soccer-specific stadium located on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. It is the home to the Princeton Tigers men's and women's soccer teams.[4] The stadium is named in honor of Thomas S. Roberts '85, a former Princeton goal keeper. The stadium's natural grass game field, Myslik Field, is named in memory of Robert H. Myslik '90, a soccer alumnus and assistant coach who died in 2003.[5] The team's artificial turf practice field, Plummer Field, was adjacent to the stadium.[5]

The original Roberts Stadium opened September 2, 2008, and was formally dedicated October 4, 2008, following a doubleheader with Dartmouth College. The stadium replaced the former Lourie-Love Field, which stood on the same grounds. Lourie-Love Field was named after Princeton football alumni Donold B. Lourie and George H. Love, both 1922 graduates.

In May 2010, the United States men's national soccer team held a week-long pre-World Cup training camp at Roberts Stadium.[6] In June 2012, the United States women's national soccer team held a two-week-long training camp at the stadium to prepare for an international friendly against the Chinese women's national football team at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, PA.[7]

The previous stadium was torn down in 2019 to make way for Yeh College, the seventh residential college at Princeton University. The current iteration of Roberts Stadium was built adjacent to Finney-Campbell Fields, Princeton Softball Stadium at Strubing Field, and the Stadium Drive Garage.

The new Roberts Stadium opened on October 2, 2022 with the Princeton Tigers women's soccer team defeating Dartmouth College 2–0. While similar to the previous Roberts Stadium, this iteration has notable upgrades that include seating that surrounds all four sides of Myslik Field with a grass berm behind one goal for fans to lounge on and dedicated men's and women's locker rooms with entrances that open up to midfield.[8] [9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Project List. Anderson Architects. August 9, 2017.
  2. Web site: Gallery. Fitzpatrick & Associates. August 9, 2017.
  3. Web site: Roberts Stadium. Princeton University. August 9, 2017.
  4. News: [{{Google books|hCJbAAAAYAAJ|title=SportsShorts|53|plainurl=yes}} SportsShorts]. 108. Princeton Alumni Weekly. September 26, 2007.
  5. Web site: Roberts Stadium • Home of Princeton Soccer. 9 August 2017.
  6. Web site: THE TIES THAT BIND: THE U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM AND PRINCETON. goprincetontigers.com. May 27, 2010. August 9, 2017.
  7. Web site: U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM'S VISIT, FROM A PLAYER'S VIEW. goprincetontigers.com. June 28, 2012. August 9, 2017.
  8. Web site: MYSLIK FIELD AT ROBERTS STADIUM. Princeton University. February 26, 2024.
  9. Web site: Princeton soccer programs open new Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium. The Terntonian. October 10, 2022. February 26, 2024.