Demirjian Park Grand Opening

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Demirjian Park, home of the University of Illinois soccer and men’s and women’s track & field and cross-country programs, was opened to student-athletes, coaches and staff members on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

Demirjian Park allows Illinois to host Big Ten and NCAA championship competition in both soccer and track and field. It is expected to become a destination location for training and competition by elite and youth athletes from across the state and the Midwest, drawing participants, their families, and fans into the Champaign-Urbana communities.

The Demirjian family, led by UI alumni Richard Demirjian (LAS, '88) and Kara Demirjian-Huss (ACES, '92), provided a lead gift of $7 million to develop and build Demirjian Park.

"We believe in Josh Whitman's vision, recognize the opportunity and realize that the time is now to make a difference," Richard Demirjian said. "For us, this investment is about a holistic approach to student athletics—providing training, practice and study centers in one state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility. It's also about providing functional, efficient resources to create an interconnected environment and shared home that delivers success in Division I athletics and academics."

"This investment links two of our family's philanthropic pillars: education and economic development," said Kara Demirjian-Huss. "Not only will it have clear-cut benefits for these University soccer and track and field programs, but it also will provide facilities that can attract national events and regional training. We are excited to collaborate with the University on Demirjian Park to create a legacy and deliver the ideal experience to attract student-athletes and wow spectators. We foresee a strong economic impact for our region and applaud the University for their widespread vision and strong sense of University and community pride.

Demirjian Park features two new soccer fields, one for competition and one for practice, and a renovation of the existing track and field complex. The project's centerpiece is Demirjian Park Stadium, located between the new soccer fields and the renovated track. The stadium directly benefits 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 include locker rooms, video and meeting rooms, lounge and study spaces, sports medicine and nutrition facilities, and coaches' offices. It also contains spaces for visiting teams and officials.

The track surface at Demirjian Park is known as Gary R. Wieneke Track, in honor of Illinois Athletics hall-of-fame track and field coach, Gary Wieneke. The naming was a joint gift among several of Wieneke's former Fighting Illini student-athletes, some of whom competed nearly 50 years ago for him, to show their loyalty and admiration for their head coach.

“Demirijian Park will create a monumental shift in our program and in soccer in this community” head women’s soccer coach Janet Rayfield said. “The student athlete experience, the fan experience, and the opportunities for soccer events in this community will all be raised to the next level with this facility. We could not be more grateful to the Demirjian Family for this program changing gift.” 

“Wieneke Track at Demirjian Park really is an incredible facility. It’s stunning, intimate and highly functional. For our staff and student athletes it provides the infrastructure needed for success with all the amenities that will allow us to host some very exciting events and bring people to the community and campus” director of track & field and cross country Mike Turk said. “It truly has been an honor, one of the highlights of my coaching career to be involved in this project. I’m bursting with gratitude and pride.”

Demirjian Park will allow our student-athletes to take a holistic approach to their lives on a daily basis. It is a place where student-athletes will be inspired to make their mark and leave their legacy” head cross country coach Sarah Haveman said. “It manages to blend an ideal situation for our student athletes, our fans, and the local community.  It will have an immediate and lasting effect on our student athletes and we are so grateful.”