The Home-Field Advantage

Intercollegiate athletics are integral to the educational experience at Aurora University.

Our student-athletes excel in the classroom and in competition. They embody the university’s commitment to the core values of integrity, citizenship, continuous learning and excellence. Spartan team members set positive examples with strong grade point averages and as campus leaders. In recent years, university leaders invested heavily in the renovation of existing facilities and the recruitment and retention of outstanding personnel.

The first phase of construction is underway. The university’s softball, soccer and lacrosse teams will play in new stadiums during 2017-2018. Plans call for moving quickly into the next stage of development in the spring of 2018, when development of a new baseball stadium is slated to begin. Subsequent phases of the athletic park project will focus on meeting the needs of AU’s track and field and tennis teams.

As the park grows over time, AU leaders are confident that the university will have many opportunities to host prestigious tournaments and competitions. The park quickly will become the preferred site for regional championship play. The new campus also will showcase the university’s commitment to quality, environmental stewardship and vibrant landscape design.

Aurora University leaders expect to spend approximately $40 million over the next decade to provide the institution’s student-athletes with high quality practice and competition facilities. Of course, many of the new facilities will lend themselves to recreational, academic and community use too.

Building Upon a Tradition of Excellence

Being a Spartan

Building Upon a Tradition of Excellence

Being a Spartan

Few Midwestern colleges and universities claim as victorious a softball tradition as Aurora University.

From its early years with Dr. Sam Bedrosian as coach to more recent seasons under the leadership of Mike McKenzie, the Spartans have been a dominant force. Since 1976, AU softball teams have amassed a record of 1023 wins, 499 losses and six ties and took fourth in the nation in 1982’s NCAA tournament.

After years of playing on a Fox Valley Park District diamond, the Spartans look forward to seizing the home-field advantage with their new $3 million+ stadium opens. It will include premium synthetic turf; recommended NCAA mix of clay, sand and silt; two 800-square-foot dugouts; bullpens with professional quality mounds; light towers to illuminate the stadium; seating for 300 fans; state-of-the-art digital scoreboard; press box; public address system; and ticketing facilities.

Several Aurora University intercollegiate athletic teams are recognized among the top tier of competitors in the nation.

The men’s lacrosse team, established six years ago, has won four conference championships and made four consecutive NCAA Division III Sweet 16 appearances. Now the women’s lacrosse team is poised to begin its climb into the upper ranks of Division III, thanks to the recruitment of outstanding new head coaches and players.

One of our top priorities for the new Spartan Athletic Park is to provide these outstanding teams with championship-quality facilities. The university will realize this vision in partnership with friends, alumni and parents through construction of a new stadium to include seating for 1,000 fans; 112,000-square-foot field turf surface with markings for lacrosse, soccer and football; locker rooms; press, concession and fan amenities; state-of-the-art lighting; and terraces for fan gatherings and celebrations. This $6 million Spartan Stadium project will be a focal point of the Spartan Athletic Park.

Spartans have achieved success in soccer dating back to 1970 when the men’s team first appeared in a conference championship.

Currently, the men’s soccer team is soaring up the ranks in Division III with the addition of new head coach and talented student-athletes. Since 1996 women's soccer has seized 16 conference titles and made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, losing in the Sweet 16 in 2015.

The construction of a new $6 million Spartan Stadium will provide student-athletes with ideal practice and competition time on a championship-quality field, and will feature seating for 1,000 fans; 112,000-square-foot field turf surface with markings for lacrosse, soccer and football; locker rooms; press, concession and fan amenities; state-of-the-art lighting; and terraces for fan gatherings and celebrations.

The Spartan baseball team took the field for the first time in 1926.

The Spartan baseball team took the field for the first time in 1926. Since then, they’ve won conference championships and made appearances in the NCAA Division III World Series, finishing second in the nation in 1990 and third twice (1998 and 2004) finishing second in the nation in 1990, third twice (1998 and 2004) and seventh twice (1999 and 2006). In addition to the entire 1990 squad, 26 Spartan baseball players are in the AU Hall of Fame.

For a number of years, the Spartan diamond (Snell Field) was located on the southwest corner of the campus. Over the last few years, the baseball Spartans have played in a variety of venues in Fox Valley. The time is right to seize the home-field advantage with construction of a new $5 million Spartan Baseball Stadium to include grandstand seating for over 650 spectators; team, fan and storage amenities; lighting to accommodate night games; and parking for 250 vehicles in an adjacent area.

Gateway to Spartan Athletic Park

Generous landscaping and a dramatic brick-and-wrought-iron arch will distinguish the entrance to the new athletic park. Monumental columns will be flanked on either side by a constellation of championship banners, NCAA emblems and American flags. A red-brick gatehouse will feature ticketing capabilities, campus safety, product sale and fan amenity functions. Two columns of Greenspire Lindens and historic light fixtures will line the park’s roadway, in a manner reminiscent of the main campus entry a mile way.

Become a Champion

Intercollegiate athletics are integral to the educational experience at Aurora University.

Our student-athletes set positive examples as they earn strong grade point averages and excel as leaders in their majors and campus organizations. For AU, building upon this tradition of excellence is a high priority. Accordingly, in recent years the institution invested heavily in the recruitment and retention of outstanding personnel and the refurbishment of existing facilities. We invite you to champion this effort.

To learn about giving opportunities, contact:

Teri Tomaszkiewicz
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
ttomaszk@aurora.edu

Jim Hamad
Director of Athletics
jhamad@aurora.edu

Details of Spartan Athletic Park are pending approval from the Village of Montgomery.
These renderings are a tentative plan as of Spring 2017. Final facilities subject to change.