University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panthers Ready to Show Off New Turf
9/8/2017 9:18:00 AM | Football
by Hannah Dettwiler
UNI Athletic Communications Intern
The UNI-Dome will have a different look for this Saturday's home opener vs. Cal Poly with the installation of a new AstroTurf in the offseason.
The bid was awarded to AstroTurf for the project on Feb. 20. The installation process for the AstroTurf Conversion Panel System began in early May was completed in July. The surface is made of PureGrass® with Armacell® pad. The surface measures over 77,000 square feet and comes in 26 rollable panels and is secured by a Velcro® system. No infill is required for the new surface. The conversion time for the new turf will be eight hours to install and four hours to roll up.
"The surface you play is one of the most important elements in college football," UNI Head Football Coach Mark Farley said. "The investment in the new turf is an indication to the commitment of UNI to its student-athletes."
The Panther players are excited to show off the new turf on Saturday with a 4 p.m. kickoff against the Cal Poly Mustangs.
"I believe our players are going to love the new turf because it gives us a new experience that we haven't seen before," senior defensive back Malcolm Washington said. "Plus you get to have a better surface than a lot of the teams in the conference. This new turf will also help us attract more talented student-athletes. It will also definitely help us run faster and smoother this year."
"The new turf is different than a lot of surfaces I have played on," junior offensive lineman Cal Twait said. "It is almost like a squishy feeling that is softer than the previous turf which is nice. I was happy when I heard about the new turf because I felt it was time to get something new. The design is very cool and I'm very excited about it.""
When the 2017 football team found out they were going to be getting a new turf as their new playing field, it certainly excited them. Twait and Washington believe that this new turf will assist in recruiting future Panthers. This turf is something that not every team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference has, and both Twait and Washington think the new surface can benefit the football team and a successful season.
The design features the UNI logo at midfield overlaying a shaded outline of the state of Iowa. The end-zones are now purple and have the Panther logo along with the word "Panthers" in all capital letters.There were five individuals that helped decide the look of the field. Deputy Athlete Directors Justin Schemmel and Steve Schofield, head football coach Mark Farley, UNI president Mark Nook and Athletic Director David Harris all provided input on the field design.
"After all the hard work that the previous teams put on the other field, I think this program is well-deserving of a new surface," Washington said.
UNI Athletic Communications Intern
The UNI-Dome will have a different look for this Saturday's home opener vs. Cal Poly with the installation of a new AstroTurf in the offseason.
The bid was awarded to AstroTurf for the project on Feb. 20. The installation process for the AstroTurf Conversion Panel System began in early May was completed in July. The surface is made of PureGrass® with Armacell® pad. The surface measures over 77,000 square feet and comes in 26 rollable panels and is secured by a Velcro® system. No infill is required for the new surface. The conversion time for the new turf will be eight hours to install and four hours to roll up.
"The surface you play is one of the most important elements in college football," UNI Head Football Coach Mark Farley said. "The investment in the new turf is an indication to the commitment of UNI to its student-athletes."
The Panther players are excited to show off the new turf on Saturday with a 4 p.m. kickoff against the Cal Poly Mustangs.
"I believe our players are going to love the new turf because it gives us a new experience that we haven't seen before," senior defensive back Malcolm Washington said. "Plus you get to have a better surface than a lot of the teams in the conference. This new turf will also help us attract more talented student-athletes. It will also definitely help us run faster and smoother this year."
"The new turf is different than a lot of surfaces I have played on," junior offensive lineman Cal Twait said. "It is almost like a squishy feeling that is softer than the previous turf which is nice. I was happy when I heard about the new turf because I felt it was time to get something new. The design is very cool and I'm very excited about it.""
When the 2017 football team found out they were going to be getting a new turf as their new playing field, it certainly excited them. Twait and Washington believe that this new turf will assist in recruiting future Panthers. This turf is something that not every team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference has, and both Twait and Washington think the new surface can benefit the football team and a successful season.
The design features the UNI logo at midfield overlaying a shaded outline of the state of Iowa. The end-zones are now purple and have the Panther logo along with the word "Panthers" in all capital letters.There were five individuals that helped decide the look of the field. Deputy Athlete Directors Justin Schemmel and Steve Schofield, head football coach Mark Farley, UNI president Mark Nook and Athletic Director David Harris all provided input on the field design.
"After all the hard work that the previous teams put on the other field, I think this program is well-deserving of a new surface," Washington said.
Players Mentioned
DB
/ FootballPST: Todd Stepsis - Nov. 14, 2025 (Part 1 of 3)
Friday, November 14
PST: Todd Stepsis - Nov. 14, 2025 (Part 2 of 3)
Friday, November 14
PST: Todd Stepsis - Nov. 14, 2025 (Part 3 of 3)
Friday, November 14
PST: Harrison Bey-Buie (2025)
Friday, November 14