Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Rappolt Field Sullivan Trail Easton, PA 18040
Year Opened: 2000
Capacity: 1,000 (estimated)
Leap Like a Leopard
Located in the heart of the Lehigh Valley in Easton, Pennsylvania lies a small school known as Lafayette College. The Leopards of Lafayette play in the Patriot League along with other similarly academic-minded institutions in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. About three miles from Lafayette's campus is Rappolt Field, home of Leopard field hockey.
The stadium is part of the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex, which also includes Kamine Stadium, home of Lafayette baseball, as well as stadiums for most of Lafayette's other outdoor sports, except football. Built in 2000 and renovated in 2014, Rappolt Field is named after Bill Rappolt, a 1967 Lafayette alumnus whose donation helped fund the field's construction.
Food & Beverage 5
A food truck is located to the left of the bleachers at Rappolt Field and offers a much better variety of food than you see at most field hockey venues. Meals include hot dogs or hamburgers for $9, and a cheeseburger, teriyaki chicken sandwich, chicken tenders, and cheese steak or buffalo chicken egg rolls for $10.
While these prices are on the high side, they do include french fries, which improves the value significantly. Nachos are $8, mozzarella sticks are $6, and funnel cake fries are $7. Candy is $3, while Coke products, Powerade, and bottled water are available to drink for $4.
Fans are also free to bring their food or beverage into the stadium, and many do.
Atmosphere 3
There is one long set of bleachers along the sideline at Rappolt Field, straight ahead as you come in. It is set back quite a distance from the field, with some grass in between. Kids will sometimes play on the grass during the game, getting in the way of fans who are trying to watch the game, and a few fans will bring their chairs and set them down on the grass to be closer to the action. A scoreboard in the far left corner should in theory also show shots, saves, and penalty corners, but these displayed a zero for the entire game when we visited, which was inaccurate based on the actions on the field.
There is not much going on in terms of gameday atmosphere besides the game itself and what the crowd brings. (More on that last part later.) The PA announcer will announce the starting lineups before the game and may announce goal scorers, but that is about it.
Unlike at some field hockey venues, the PA announcer does not announce the result of team challenges leading to video review. While it may seem like such a result would be obvious based on the referees' signal and what happens on the field, in college field hockey it is not quite so simple. If a team requests a video referral and the original call is confirmed (because video evidence conclusively shows it was correct), the team loses its right to video referral for the remainder of the game.
However, if the call merely stands (because the video review is inconclusive), the team retains its challenge, unlike in most other sports. Without the PA announcer saying which one has happened, it is not clear to fans in the stands whether the team has kept their referral.
Neighborhood 3
Rappolt Field is located in a residential area several miles from Lafayette's campus and the heart of Downtown Easton. Once you find your way into town, you will find that Easton is a small college town of about 27,000 people located at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers.
Most of the action is located close to the college (and several miles from the stadium) and includes Two Rivers Brewing, a popular brewpub on Northampton Street, and Easton Public Market, which includes numerous food vendors ranging from hot dogs to barbecue to a chocolate shop to tacos, noodles, and more. Easton may be a small town but it is certainly a thriving one.
Fans 5
Lafayette ranked in the top 20 nationwide in field hockey attendance, drawing several hundred fans a game, and continues to draw well now that the 2024 season is underway. Fans back the bleachers that line the sideline, and unlike at some schools, this is not just a friends and family crowd. Many locals, alumni, and more show up to cheer on the Leopards.
There is even a small presence among Lafayette students, who line the fence, shout, and bang on the padding to make as much noise as possible. It is rare to see a sizeable student presence at college field hockey, but they certainly make their presence known here.
Access 2
Easton itself is easily accessible via US Route 22 and I-76, though you will have to drive several miles along local roads to get to Rappolt Field and the Metzgar Complex. Once you arrive, you will find that only about half the lot is paved and it is the half furthest from Rappolt Field.
If you want to park there, you should have no trouble doing so, but most fans prefer to park in the grass lot adjacent to the stadium. There is a lot of dirt in there as well, so if it rains, it will probably be muddy. If there is bad weather in the forecast, you may want to park in the paved lot depending on how much faith you have in your car and tires.
There is construction in multiple areas of the Metzgar Fields Complex, so be prepared to have to walk around construction zones and along gravel paths, because the sidewalk is blocked off. Port-a-potties are located behind the bleachers but there are no real restrooms on site for fans to use.
Return on Investment 3
Admission to all regular season Lafayette home games is free, and parking is free as well. Concessions are about average when you consider that almost every option is a combo deal, and it is so rare for a field hockey venue to even have concessions, much less this range of selection, that it would be hard to take points off this rating no matter what the price. If it's too expensive for you, you can always bring your food.
Extras 3
Free roster cards are available from event staff as you come into the stadium.
A second star for the student presence here, a rarity in this sport.
A third star for the chance to see games in multiple sports in one trip to the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex. If you time your visit right, it's quite possible to see both a field hockey game and a soccer game at two different venues back-to-back.
Final Thoughts
College field hockey is not often considered a major sport, nor is Lafayette considered an elite school within the sport, but despite this, Rappolt Field still manages to be a great place to see a game. Field hockey fans in the Lehigh Valley area or elsewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania will want to head down here to check out a game.
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