Florida Field Named 2014 College Football Field of the Year
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 | Football
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka The Swamp, was recently named the 2014 College Football Field of the Year by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) – the professional association for 2,600 men and women who manage sports fields worldwide.
Jason Smith, Turf Coordinator at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and his team will be honored for their efforts during halftime of the 2015 Orange & Blue Debut, presented by Sunniland. Smith works hand-in-hand with Sunniland Turf Specialist Billy Griffith to formulate the best blend of fertilizer for Florida Field.
Sunniland Corporation, an official Gator partner, provides the fertilizer used on all athletic fields on campus. Sunniland is in its fourth year of its partnership with the University Athletic Association.
Since 1992, STMA's Field of the Year Award is given to members who manage baseball, football, soccer, softball and other sporting grounds at the professional, collegiate or schools (K-12) and parks and recreation level.
A panel of 11 judges independently scored entries based on playability, appearance of surfaces, utilization of innovative solutions, effective use of budget and implementation of a comprehensive agronomic program. Judges may not award a field in each category. Winning fields will be featured in a 2015 issue of Sports Turf Magazine.
Awards will be presented at the 26th STMA Conference & Exhibition in Denver, Colo. Jan. 13-16, 2015. Nearly 1,200 leaders in the sports turf industry will converge on the Colorado Convention Center for more than 75 hours of leading-edge educational seminars, exhibitor demonstrations, and networking opportunities.
