Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex 8483 Paint Branch Drive
College Park, MD 20742
Year Opened: 2003 Capacity: 1,400
Turtle Field Hockey
The Maryland Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex is exactly what it sounds like – a stadium which is home to the University of Maryland’s field hockey and women’s lacrosse programs. It opened in 2003 across from the Xfinity Center, and was renovated in 2005 and again in 2019.
The Terrapins’ field hockey team is one of the top programs in the country, having won eight national championships and 13 conference titles over the years.
Food & Beverage 2
There is one concession stand located near the entrance which serves only very basic options. If you want a meal, your only options are a chicken strips basket ($10), and a hot dog ($4.) There are various snacks available as well, including chips, pretzels, popcorn, and nachos. Bottled water, soda, and Gatorade are available to drink, as are hot chocolate and coffee.
Atmosphere 2
There is one set of bleachers located on one sideline, while the other sideline contains a tent for the media and game staff. The bleachers go up about five rows and take up the whole sideline. There is also a very large scoreboard in the corner which also shows shots and saves for each team. You can also view the quarter of the match, but this is somewhat tricky to find – it shows as timeouts remaining for the Terps rather than in a designated area. College field hockey switched from halves to quarters this year, taking away each team’s timeout in the process, and the scoreboard has not yet been adjusted to accommodate this.
The Terrapin mascot and band typically do not show up to field hockey games like they would for basketball and football.
Neighborhood 4
College Park is a small college town with enough in the immediate area to get by, but is really nothing special. There is a bowling alley a couple miles away, and a bunch of chain restaurants within walking distance. If you’re looking for some local color, College Park Diner is a favorite with residents and students alike and serves up comfort food 24 hours a day. Looney’s Pub on Route 1 is a sports bar with dozens of big-screen TVs for your viewing pleasure. A couple hotels are located nearby, including a Marriott just off campus, and The Hotel on-campus. (Yes, the on-campus hotel is literally called The Hotel. Not a very creative name.)
That being said, if you’re looking to do more than eat and sleep, your best bet is to head down to the Metro station and take the Green Line into D.C. It’s about a 30 minute ride to downtown. Once you’re there, there’s so much to do and most of it is free. Whether it’s visiting one of the historic monuments and memorials, visiting one of the numerous museums, or simply walking outside on the National Mall, there’s something for everyone. All government-run attractions are free to the public, though some privately run ones are not. Just keep in mind if you want to tour the Capitol or White House, you will need to reserve that ahead of time.
Fans 4
The Terrapins draw good numbers for field hockey compared to most programs in the country. Although you do get friends and family of the players, there are also a fair amount of UMD students and locals, many with girls who play youth field hockey themselves and dream of making the NCAA someday. That being said, this is field hockey, not football or basketball. Good crowds are about 500 fans, nowhere near what you’d see at revenue sports.
Access 4
There are parking lots located both across the street from and next to the Complex. The one next to the field is completely free to park at after 4 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends, which should cover the vast majority of matches between them. The one across the street is split between free parking during those hours and paid parking, the latter of which is available to visitors 24/7 and should be utilized if visiting for a weekday afternoon game. The numbered spaces are paid and can be parked in 24/7 for $3/hour, while the unnumbered ones are free but cannot be parked in on weekdays before 4 PM.
The other thing to keep in mind is that if the Terrapins have a home football or basketball game the same day as the field hockey match, the parking situation can be completely different, so check the Terrapins’ website for additional information if that is the case.
Return on Investment 5
Admission to all Terrapins field hockey regular season matches is free, though different policies may apply to matches in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Parking is also free for the vast majority of home games, meaning you don’t have to spend anything to come here. Concessions are also affordable if you want to buy them, and the elite quality of the Terrapins team and fan experience compared to other field hockey programs make this worth it.
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Extras 2
There are banners on the back fence honoring Terrapins championships in field hockey and women’s lacrosse.
There are also free programs available at a table by the entrance.
Final Thoughts
College field hockey is not one of the more popular sports anywhere in the country, but Maryland has an environment at its games that is better than almost anywhere else in the sport. Although it will never be at the same level as football or basketball at the school, a Maryland field hockey game is still an enjoyable experience for sports fans who happen to be in the area.
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