Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Cressy Field 285 Old Westport Rd Dartmouth, MA 02747
Year Opened: 1988
Capacity: 1.850
Corsair Football at Cressy Field
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (better known as UMass Dartmouth) is one of five campuses in the University of Massachusetts system. It is located in the town of Dartmouth on the South Coast of Massachusetts, in between the cities of Fall River and New Bedford. The university has an enrollment of over 8,500 students, about half of whom live on campus. The school offers 61 undergraduate programs and 32 graduate programs.
Football was first played at Southeastern Massachusetts University as a club sport in 1985 (the school changed their name to the UMass Dartmouth when it was merged into the UMass system in 1991). The team originally played at Sargent Field (now named Paul Walsh Field) in New Bedford. in 1988 football was upgraded to a varsity sport to coincide with the opening of Cressy Field on campus. The Corsairs have qualified for the NCAA Division Three tournament twice in their history, most recently in 2022. They lost in the first round both times. UMass Dartmouth has also played in five postseason bowl games
The home field of the UMass Dartmouth football team, Cressy Field, is named in honor of Peter H. Cressy, Chancellor of UMass Dartmouth from 1993 to 1999. In addition to the football team, Cressy Field serves as home to the men’s and women’s soccer teams, women’s field hockey, and lacrosse teams.
Food & Beverage 2
There is a small concession stand at Cressy Field operated by the school’s catering service, Chartwells. A limited menu is served. Hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, nachos and assorted snacks are available. Pepsi products are featured at UMass Dartmouth. Prices are reasonable and quality is decent.
Atmosphere 3
You wouldn’t expect an elaborate gameday presentation at a small venue like Cressy Field, and you won’t get one here. Still, all the elements you would expect to see at a college football game are found here. The school's cheerleaders and pep band perform throughout the game. Music plays over an excellent sound system during play stoppages, adding noise and energy to the festivities. A scoreboard in the south end zone provides basic game information, and the PA announcer adds a lot of energy to the proceedings without being too over the top. There’s a pretty good turnout from the student body and a really good turnout from the players’ families. As you might expect, they are really into the game. For a D-3 game, this can be a pretty loud place.
As the Corsairs program has enjoyed success over the past few years, the game day experience and fan support has grown along with it.
Neighborhood 3
UMass Dartmouth is a self-contained campus located in the suburban town of Dartmouth, MA, in between the cities of Fall River and New Bedford on the state’s south coast. Route 6, which is lined with businesses, eateries, and lodging options, is a mile from campus. Visiting fans looking for a bit of local flavor may be disappointed with the endless suburban sprawl of big box stores and restaurant chains, but if you are good with these options, there’s plenty to be found. A complete visitor’s guide to the area around campus can be found here.
Stadium Journey’s favorite spot to visit after a Corsairs football game is Buzzards Bay Brewery, located about a ten-minute drive from Cressy Field in neighboring Westport. Buzzards Bay offers up a variety of excellent craft beers, and on most weekends the brewery features live music and food trucks at their site on a converted farm. Max's Burgers and Cask 'N Pig BBQ are other excellent options nearby.
Visiting fans coming to the area may not wish to spend a whole lot of time in either Fall River or New Bedford, two cities struggling with some of the issues facing many poor cities in the northeast. Still, there are places of interest in both cities. Fall River is home to Battleship Cove, the largest collection of World War II naval vessels in the world. Also nearby is the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast/Museum, located in the same house where the infamous murders took place in 1892. The museum is open for tours and fans of the macabre can even spend the night at the house. The New Bedford Whaling Museum focuses on the history of the Whaling industry and features a walkable downtown with cobblestone streets near its working waterfront.
There are plenty of attractions in the area for visiting fans. Boston is located about an hour away to the north. Cape Cod is located a half-hour to the east. Providence is a half-hour away to the west, and Newport, with its Gilded Age mansions, is 45 minutes away.
Fans 3
The crowd at a UMass Dartmouth football game can vary greatly depending on the day of the week, weather and opponent, but a typical crowd numbers between 500-1,000 fans per game. There's a good turnout from the student body at football games, and a lot of support at the school between all the different Corsair teams.
One of the great things about going to games at smaller schools is the connection that so many in the stands have with the players down on the field. With many of the players in the game coming from local towns, a great percentage of the fans in the stands consist of families and friends. The fans here create a lot of noise and energy as they support their team.
Access 3
Cressy Field is located on the southern end of the UMass Dartmouth campus, alongside the University’s other athletic facilities, including the Tripp Athletic Center.
The town of Dartmouth is located in southeastern Massachusetts, in between the cities of Fall River and New Bedford. Located about an hour’s drive south of Boston, the campus is easily accessed by car, as it is located just a few miles from Interstate 195. Fans utilizing public transportation will take SRTA’s number 14 bus that runs hourly between Fall River and New Bedford. Schedules can be found here.
UMass Dartmouth has a unique layout, with the majority of the buildings on campus located within a single ringed road that circles the campus. Visitors to UMD will enter on the north side of campus and drive around to the athletic complex on the south side of campus. Parking is available in one of several lots located near the complex a short walk from Cressy Field.
Several manicured paths will guide fans through a grove of trees to the football field. Seating is comprised of metal bleachers on either side of the field. There is plenty of room around the field for fans who wish to stand and take in the action. Restrooms are located in the nearby Tripp Athletic Center.
Return on Investment 5
Admission to Corsair games costs seven dollars. With free parking and inexpensive concessions, a visit to Cressy Field is an affordable entertainment option for southeastern Massachusetts football fans.
Extras 1
An extra point is awarded for the unique setup and architecture of the UMass Dartmouth campus. The school was named in 2013 by Travel and Leisure as one of the ugliest campuses in the nation. The campus was designed by famed architect Paul Rudolph in the early 1960s in the Brutalist style. To contrast the school’s buildings from the outside world in an attempt to create a social utopian environment, most of the buildings on campus are made entirely of concrete (béton brut) and feature irregular features which attempt to create a more communal atmosphere. Many visitors to campus describe it as resembling a prison. It may be better described as a bunch of gray concrete spaceships parked in a giant open field. Either way, it's a most unique campus.
Claire T. Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
Final Thoughts
One of the more entertaining Division Three football experiences in New England can be found at UMass Dartmouth. The Corsairs have enjoyed a recent run of success behind a high-powered offense and boisterous fans. Local fans are starting to discover the Corsairs. What are you waiting for?
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