New Synthetic Turf Soccer Field Named For Junior’s Parents
On Saturday, Chancellor Clay addressed the crowd of students gathered at Steinbrenner Stadium to celebrate the dedication of Roberts Field.
The playing surface, potentially one of three new artificial turfs, was the first step in fulfilling a ten year vision for improvements to the 26 acre Briggs field complex. MIT alumnus Thomas E. Faust ’80, CEO of Eaton Vance, made the lead gift to fund the planning of the renovations. Bob and Eveline Roberts, for whom the turf is named, made the gift that allowed construction of the field. Their daughter, Julia N. Roberts ’10, plays midfield for the women’s soccer team.
After the dedication ceremony, the women’s soccer team took to Roberts Field against Mount Holyoke College. On Senior Day, the team honored players from the class of 2009: Stephanie V. Brenman ’09, Cassandra N. Gibbs ’09, Sarah J. Smith ’09, and Jodie Z. Wu ’09. In front of the largest crowd of spectators this season, the Engineers defeated the Lyons 4-2.
The Office of Advancement for DAPER and the Department of Student Life collaborated to put together the community event, which offered boxed lunches and sport water bottles to the first 300 attendees. Julie Norman, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education called the event “an opportunity to dedicate the field and show the donors how much students appreciate it.”