CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Oct. 12 at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the beginning of construction for Demirjian Park, a new state-of-the art facility for Fighting Illini soccer and track and field.
In addition to the announcement, DIA has released updated renderings of Demirjian Park after months of design consultation with Ratio Design, the coaching staffs and the Demirjian family.
South Entry
Concourse
Exterior from Southeast
Aerial View
The Demirjian family, Director of Athletics Josh Whitman, Head Soccer Coach Janet Rayfield and Head Track and Field Coach Mike Turk, along with other members of the DIA staff and student-athletes from the Fighting Illini soccer and track and field teams, will take part in the ceremony at the field just east of the current soccer and track stadium.
Demirjian Park will feature two new soccer fields, one for competition and one for practice, located directly east of the existing track and field complex, which will itself be renovated. The project's centerpiece will be Demirjian Park Stadium, located between the new soccer fields and the renovated track. The stadium will directly benefit more than 25 percent of the Fighting Illini student-athlete population by housing team facilities for women's soccer, men's track and field, and women's track and field. State-of-the-art amenities will include locker rooms, video and meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces, sports medicine and nutrition facilities, and coaches' offices. It will also contain spaces for visiting teams and officials.
Construction of the new soccer fields will be completed in time for the 2019 season. Demirjian Park will be fully complete and open for the 2020 soccer season, which will allow Illinois to host the 2021 Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Renovations to the track and accompanying field event venues will be performed as a separate project.
The Demirjian's gift contributes toward the $300 million fundraising goal for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, which is part of "With Illinois," the recently announced $2.25 billion University-wide fundraising campaign.
