Rynearson Stadium, nicknamed "The Factory", is a stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Eastern Michigan University Eagles. Currently, the stadium has seating for 30,200 people. The stadium is located on the school's west campus, just south of the Huron River.

History

The stadium held its first game on September 27, 1969, when EMU upset the University of Akron, 10–3. It originally consisted of two opposite sideline stands around the field and running track. It was one of only two stadiums in the MAC which shared its football field with a running track (UB Stadium being the other) prior to the removal of the track[2] as part of stadium renovations in 2024. The stadium was named for the late Elton J. Rynearson Sr., who coached football at Eastern Michigan for 26 seasons. His teams compiled a record of 114–58–15. In one six-year period, from 1925–30, Rynearson’s teams won 40 games, tied two, and lost just four.

The largest attendance for an EMU game at Rynearson Stadium was 26,188 (87% of capacity), on November 28, 2008, for a 56–52 win over Central Michigan.[3]

The stadium has also hosted high school football games.

Renovations

In 1992, the seats were expanded south from each grandstand but not connected, giving the stadium the look of an unfinished horseshoe. This was done to conform to the new Division I-A rules for minimum stadium size. Originally a grass field, the field has been artificial since 1991 and was upgraded to FieldTurf in 2005. More recently, the original FieldTurf was replaced prior to the 2014 season by a new gray FieldTurf surface. This made Rynearson Stadium only the third Division I FBS stadium with a non-traditional field color (after Albertsons Stadium at Boise State) and the sixth college football stadium overall with this feature.[4] Lighting was added in 1974, partially due to the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League using the stadium as their home field.

In 2024, as part of a $1 million donation by former EMU football player Maxx Crosby and his wife and ex-soccer player Rachel Crosby, the playing field was renamed Crosby Field.[5][6] Renovations included the installation of new playing surface, as well as the removal of the track surrounding the field and the construction of a new track-only facility to replace it.[2][7]

Olds/Marshall Track in Rynearson Stadium, with the George Gervin GameAbove Center in the background
The "home" (west) side of the stadium
The "away" (east) side of the stadium

See also

References

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Rynearson Stadium's Original Gray Turf Era Comes to a Close". Eastern Michigan University Athletics. 2025-01-16. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
  3. ^ "Eastern Michigan University 2010 Media Guide". p. 132. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
  4. ^ "EMU Installing Gray FieldTurf Surface at Rynearson Stadium" (Press release). Eastern Michigan University Athletics. June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  5. ^ "Maxx Crosby Commits $1 Million to EMU Athletics". Eastern Michigan Eagles (Press release). October 30, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "RSVP Now For A Special Evening on Crosby Field". Eastern Michigan Eagles (Press release). June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Helwick, Steve (2024-06-22). "Maxx Crosby returns to Eastern Michigan to unveil Crosby Field". Hustle Belt. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
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