New stadium will energize campus

157,000 square - foot stadium

2,000 seats in grandstand renovation and expansion of Farr Hall of Science, Ripon College also is embarking on the construction of a new 157,000-squarefoot on-campus stadium. The stadium will be located on the underutilized lower Sadoff Field between Willmore Center and the residence halls.

The project is expected to supplement the student-athlete experience at Ripon College as well as greatly enhance the vibrancy of campus life at an institution committed to providing a dynamic residential living and learning environment.

The stadium will house the Ripon College football and men’s and women’s soccer teams, but also will serve the entirety of the student body and Ripon community through potential intramural offerings, concerts and other student life programming.

Included will be a 2,000-seat grandstand and press box, a formal entrance on the corner of Thorne and Union streets, viewing opportunities on Sadoff Hill, locker rooms for football and soccer, lighting for evening programming and a branded game-day experience.

Ground will be broken on the $8.5 million investment this spring with a projected opening in the fall of 2023.

Ryan Kane, athletic director and head men’s basketball coach, said the new stadium will align Ripon College with other schools in the Midwest Conference, which already have their own on-campus stadiums. “I am excited about adding a communal space to our campus that will serve our entire Ripon College community as well as provide growth opportunities inside our athletic department,” he says. “There is no doubt that this project will be a gathering space not only for our student-athletes but also for our students, faculty, staff and community members at large.

“After the stadium opens, the College no longer will utilize the shared field model with the Ripon Area School District; however arrangements are in place for continued shared services between the Ingalls Field outdoor track and indoor Willmore Center at Ripon College. While we have enjoyed a healthy and long-standing relationship with RASD, which we plan to continue, both sides understand the benefits of autonomous stadiums given scheduling and logistical challenges that we have faced in recent years,” Kane adds.

An investment in athletic facilities already has proven prudent. Since the opening of Willmore Center, the updated health and wellness facility, in August 2017, enrollment by student-athletes has increased by 44% and now stands at 49% of all Ripon College students.

“The construction of an on-campus stadium is proof of the commitment to athletics and our student-athlete experience,” says Jake Marshall ’10, new head football coach and offensive coordinator. “Our players will have the best facilities in our conference, and the location will allow our students and fans to make the Red Hawks game day atmosphere one of the best in the region.”