Minnegan Field

Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium is home to Towson’s football, men’s lacrosse and track and field programs.

The sports complex, which underwent a $32 million renovation over a three-year span, seats 11,198 spectators. It ranks as the third largest outdoor venue in the metropolitan area after M&T Bank Stadium where the NFL Ravens play, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home to Baltimore’s Major League Baseball franchise.

Stadium renovations included an addition of 6,000 seats, an artificial turf, entry level plaza, concession stands, new restrooms, ticket booths, a four-tier press box, an elaborate field house and a promenade that conveniently connects the northside and southside seating areas. In 2007, the stadium’s Astroturf surface was replaced with FieldTurf. The turf was renovated in the summer of 2012.

The four-story, 48,000 square-foot field house provides Towson’s student-athletes with an excellent collegiate facility. It includes spacious, modern lockerooms for each of its sports, an impressive athletic training facility, classrooms, conference rooms, an upscale equipment room, an academic resource center, a video-editing room and coaches offices. Designed to maximize exterior scenic looks, the field house includes windows that provide a stunning view of the adjacent playing area. A rooftop patio treats guests to a bird’s-eye view of the athletic contests. The stadium is lighted for night play.

The Minnegan Room can accommodate up to 200 guests at social functions ranging from pre-game and post-game parties and sports banquets to fund-raising events.

A four-level press box rises high above the stadium on its south side. A separate VIP level is just below the main media floor, which can accommodate 35 working members of the press, two radio stations and coaches booths. Each booth can comfortably seat six persons. The top floor, or camera deck, is the primary location for television broadcasts and game filming.

The complex is named in honor of two legends - one a coach and educator who served Towson University for over 40 years, and the other a former professional football player who is widely considered as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.

Donald “Doc” Minnegan was a teacher, coach, physical education department chairman and Director of Athletics at Towson for more than four decades. He arrived at Towson in 1927. He coached its soccer team until 1966.

Doc’s soccer teams were highly successful, winning a total of 156 games, and 66 of 77 between 1930 and 1936, including a school record 34 straight. His coaching led to Towson championships in baseball, basketball, track and swimming, as well as soccer.

Doc is the only American to publish an article in the British Football Annual on soccer theory. He was inducted into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Hall of Fame in 1992.

During his tenure as Director of Athletics, Doc established football as an intercollegiate sport at Towson in 1969.

He died in 2002, just two weeks shy of his 100th birthday.

The stadium carried his name from its opening in 1978 until the renovation. In accordance with that tribute, the field remains Minnegan Field in his memory.

Johnny Unitas, too, had a deep connection with the University. The former Baltimore Colts great was the parent of three Towson students.

Several weeks prior to his untimely passing, Johnny began serving as community liaison for Tiger Athletics. His role was to assist the university in obtaining a naming rights partner for the university’s new stadium. The legendary “Golden Arm” died suddenly, less than a week after tossing his last pass to commemorate the opening of Towson’s new stadium at ceremonies on September 5, 2002.

High spirits returned when Sandy Unitas chose to assume her husband’s role with Towson. With Johnny’s two youngest children as Towson students, Sandy sought to memorialize her husband’s legacy on campus by having the stadium named Johnny Unitas® Stadium.