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Dec. 5, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The work of University of Virginia Sports Field Manager Jimmy Rodgers and his staff has been recognized by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) as Virginia has earned the Football Field of the Year Award in the College/University Division for David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium. The award presentation will take place during the STMA Awards Banquet scheduled for January 18 in Las Vegas, Nev.

“We feel so fortunate and proud to be selected for this honor,” Rodgers said. ‘We view this as a significant honor and point of recognition for our field and our program.”

David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium was dedicated in September of 1995. The stadium, which was completed in 1931, had an artificial field surface from the 1974 season through the 1994 season. The Motz Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, handled the 1995 project, installing the Motz PAT system of sand-based profile. In April of 2001, Carolina Green Corporation of Indian Trail, N.C., engineered a renovation and resodding of the field.

“The University of Virginia Athletic Department is to be commended for its commitment of the financial resources to not only provide quality facilities for its athletes, but also to enable us to develop and execute the field management program to maintain the best possible field conditions,” Rodgers said. “We also acknowledge the importance of the foundation of our program in the field construction undertaken by the Motz Group and in the field renovation by Carolina Green Corporation.”

This solid program, combined with the commitment to excellence by Rodgers and his staff in overall field quality, safety, playability and appearance, earned David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium the Field of the Year honors.

“Jimmy Rodgers has met our objective of providing quality sports turf and his work has now been recognized at the highest level,” said Jason Bauman, UVa’s associate athletic director for athletic facilities and operations. ‘This award is indicative of the outstanding work done by Jimmy and his staff, and their commitment to providing outstanding playing surfaces for all of our athletic teams. They take great pride in their work.”

Rodgers came to Virginia in June of 2000 after being the Athletic Grounds Supervisor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., for four years. Prior to joining the athletic department staff at George Mason, Rodgers held positions as General Manager of Plum Bottom Farm, Inc., in Belleville, Pa., Assistant Groundskeeper with the Florida Marlins baseball team (Miami, Fla.), Assistant Groundskeeper with the Richmond Braves baseball team (Richmond, Va.), and General Manager of the Appleton Baseball Club, Inc., in Appleton, Wisc.

Rodgers is a 1986 graduate of Colgate University.

The Field of the Year Awards are presented for top maintenance of natural playing surfaces and support facilities in four major sports areas: baseball, softball, football and soccer. The Field of the Year Awards are the highest honors STMA bestows on a facility.

Entrants must supply information on the design of the facility, the uses of the facility that impact the playing surface, the organization of the maintenance program and innovative solutions used to overcome playing surface problems. Photos of specific areas of the field must be provided to document the playability and appearance of the playing surface.

Each of the five judges on the Awards Committee review the entrants independently, grading them on each aspect of the criteria. The results of the independent input of the five judges determine the winning field.

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