Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Waldron Family Stadium College Ln Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Year Opened: 2006
Capacity: 1,000
Mount Lacrosse
In between Washington, DC, and Gettysburg, PA sits the second oldest Catholic university in America. Mount St. Mary's sits on 1,400 acres at the base of the Catoctin Mountains. Shockingly the sports teams at university use the Mountaineers moniker for their sports teams.
Lacrosse has been pretty up and down at “The Mount.” In 2010 they had a very good 12-win season, a school record, and were awarded a bid to the NCAA tournament. In 2011, the Mount won the first-ever Northeast Conference Championship in the league's inaugural season. Head coach Tom Gravante has been at the university since 1995.
Although lacrosse has done well at times, basketball is one of the biggest sports at the college in terms of success. Mount St. Mary's has had some success in other sports, most notably track. In the 1988 Olympic Games, Mount St. Mary's athlete Peter Rono won gold in the 1500-meter run.
Waldron Family Stadium was opened in 2006 and is named in honor of Trustee Emeritus Eugene Waldron, and his family.
Food & Beverage 3
There is a small, but nice concession stand at Waldron Family Stadium. You will not want to have your entire meal at this stand, but if you are in the mood for $2 sodas and $2 hot dogs, then this is the right place.
There are some nice seating options right in front of the concession stand where you can still watch the game action.
Atmosphere 4
The Waldron Family Stadium is a pretty simple facility with a few sets of grandstands on one side of the field. It offers a nice view at a nice level off of the field. There are seatbacks in a few of the sections closest to the press box.
The field is an all-weather synthetic field turf that also is the home to women's lacrosse and the university's soccer programs.
The stadium also offers great views west towards the rest of campus and the sloping mountains of western Maryland.
Neighborhood 3
There is nothing within walking distance of the campus. You will need to make a short drive into town to find any food or drink options. Emmitsburg is a pretty small town but does have some interesting places that draw people to the area, besides just the university. The town is the home of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, National Emergency Training Center, and Emergency Management Institute.
Also in the immediate area are some very notable Catholic attractions. It is a Catholic pilgrimage site and is the location of the Basilica and National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton as well as the site of the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. A trip to the area demands a visit to the grotto even if you are not religious. It would be hard not to be impressed with the quiet awesomeness found here.
Nearby Thurmont also has some attractions of its own, including Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mountain Park, which contains the presidential retreat of Camp David. Just note if you are hiking in the woods and see signs to turn around or be shot, these are not jokes.
Frederick is about 30 miles away, while Baltimore (60 miles) and Washington, DC (70 miles) are the closest large cities.
Back in Emmitsburg, the best food option is The Ott House Pub downtown. This bar and restaurant is a great mix of locals, firefighters, and university students. The food menu will not blow you away but their wings, as well as their hot roast beef sandwich, will certainly hit the spot. Check to see if they have a local beer from Flying Dog Brewery on tap.
Gettysburg is 13 miles north. If you have time to visit the massive amounts of memorials and battlegrounds you should do so. Just plan ahead as crowds are enormous at many times of the year.
Fans 3
Lacrosse fans across Maryland are extremely knowledgeable about lacrosse. Fans here at the Mount are no exception.
Access 4
Sure Emmitsburg can feel like it is in the middle of nowhere, but it really is not. The major highway, Route 15, divides the campus. This route runs from Frederick in the south, northwards towards Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
Waldron Family Stadium and the rest of the PNC Sports Complex is located on the east side of Route 15, while the main part of the university campus is located on the west side. A well-lit and secured tunnel connects the two parts of the campus.
Return on Investment 4
I had originally come to Mount St. Mary's to see a baseball game but when I saw a lacrosse game about to start I went and checked on prices. I was glad to see $5 general admission tickets. There are also group and youth tickets available for even cheaper. Those are bargain prices, especially for a Division I-level sports team.
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Extras 3
Check to see if there are any other games in the PNC Sports Complex while you are at a game. I was early for a baseball game and just happened to stop in to watch this lacrosse game. The athletic complex is very well organized for this kind of endeavor. There was also a tournament going on at the complex's tennis facility.
Check out the massive field of solar panel arrays that the university has installed near the athletic complex. The solar farm produces more than 22,000,000 kilowatt hours of emissions-free electricity per year.
The view is another extra. Although not large mountains, more like large hills, the mountains that the university sits along are very nice and offer great views.
Final Thoughts
Mount St. Mary's Waldron Family Stadium is a simple, but well-appointed venue to watch a high level of lacrosse action. With extremely fair prices and good concession offerings, this stadium is a must-visit.
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