Jackson Soccer Complex

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When the University of Northern Colorado begins play in the Big Sky Conference in fall 2006, the women's soccer program will have a new stadium to call home. The Bears will be leaving Butler-Hancock Field and relocating across campus to the Jackson Sports Complex.

Since the start of the varsity soccer program in 1985, the Bears have played games on the Butler-Hancock Fields, which are located in the shadow of the Butler-Hancock Athletic Center, home of the Northern Colorado Department of Athletics. The Bears program began playing matches on the field closest to the Athletic Center but moved to an adjacent field before the 2000 season. The fields have been home to over 130 games through the years, including a NCAA Tournament matchup with Truman State in 2002. Six Northern Colorado All-Americans have called that field home and the Bears have won nearly 70 percent of the matches they have played there.

The Oct. 9, 2005 matchup with in-state rival Colorado was the 135th and last game on the field.

The Jackson Sports Complex was originally constructed in the early 1920s and named for UNC Trustee Charles N. Jackson, who helped purchase the land. It was home to the Northern Colorado football team from 1926-94, until the squad moved across campus to Nottingham Field. North of where the new soccer field will be constructed, lies Jackson Field, which is still in use by the Bears baseball team.

Following a student referendum in April 2004, plans for the renovated Jackson Sports Complex began to take shape. In the years since the football team left, the facility has been used by club sports (rugby, field hockey) and the "Pride of the Rockies" marching band and not many improvements have been made. Beginning in May 2006, the stadium will be revitalized starting with the installation of a new playing surface, an upgrade in the bleachers, the renovation of restroom, storage and concession facilities and the creation of team rooms and training offices. A new scoreboard will also be installed and new lighting will allow the soccer team to play home night games for the first time in its existence.

"There is a lot of history with both the soccer program and Jackson Field," said head coach Tim Barrera. "Moving to Jackson is a great step for our program on many levels. This is also a better venue for hosting tournament and postseason competition."

The stadium also includes a secondary field and the entire facility will be used by club sports, the sport and exercise science program and will allow the university to attract national-level soccer tournaments to be hosted at the complex.

Construction on the project will be completed by August 2006 in time for the Bears to begin their first season of Big Sky Conference play.