Murphy-Mellis Field
Murphy-Mellis Fast Facts
Opened:Â 2005
Capacity:Â 500
Named For: Mel Mellis (philanthropist) and Susan Murphy (philanthropist)
Home of: Field Hockey
Directions to Murphy-Mellis Field
After sharing Dix Stadium with the football team for nine years, the Kent State field hockey team moved into its very own state-of-the-art complex in 2005, just a few hundred yards north of its previous home. In 2006, it was officially tabbed Murphy-Mellis Field, in honor of Mel Mellis, a 1968 graduate of Kent State and his wife, Susan Murphy, who made the lead gift for the facility.
The Murphy-Mellis facility includes a brand new playing surface from Sportexe, a storage and meeting facility, watering system, new stands, team benches, press box, scoreboard and camera platforms.
Kent State opened Murphy-Mellis Field Sept. 25, 2005 with a 4-3 setback against national power Michigan and officially dedicated the opening of the stadium Oct. 23, 2005 with a 1-0 win over Ohio.
The Golden Flashes do a majority of their off-season training adjacent to Murphy-Mellis Field in the Kent State Field House, which is complete with an indoor track, 100-yard artificial turf field, weight room, lockers and administrative offices.
Kent State hosted the 2001 NCAA Field Hockey national semifinals and championship game at Dix Stadium.
