INTERVIEW: Larry Shank on Muskingum’s new turf facility

NEW CONCORD, Ohio – McConagha Stadium is a pretty busy place at Muskingum University. In addition to being the home of Muskingum’s football team, the school’s women’s and men’s soccer and lacrosse programs play there. As does the John Glenn High School football team. Athletic Director Larry Shank says that can cause some scheduling headaches.

However, Muskingum University is set to become one of the few NCAA DIII schools in the country that can claim they have two turf athletic fields. On the north end of campus, adjacent to the baseball field, the University is building a brand new turf field for the Muskies’ soccer and lacrosse programs.  In addition to the new field, McConagha Stadium will be receiving a new turf field as well.

Depending on how fundraising goes the school hopes to install bleachers, a press box, and all the amenities that go along with a stadium. The field will also be able to be used for football practice and will also meet size regulations, meaning that Muskingum can host post season tournaments in the future.

Muskingum will join Ohio Northern as the only schools in the Ohio Athletic Conference to have two turf fields. Shank said they hope the field will be ready by the start of July.