Coach Ford Celebrates 76th Birthday At Brand New Bob Ford Field
ALBANY, N.Y. – Celebrating his 76th birthday Wednesday, September 11th, University at Albany head football coach Bob Ford held the program’s first practice at UAlbany’s brand new $ 19 million multi-sport complex.
The stadium field turf is named in honor of Ford, the only coach the UAlbany football program has known. Ford, who is in his 44th season at UAlbany, has built the program from the ground up, taking the Great Danes from a club team to an NCAA Division I FCS contender. With 265 career victories, Ford ranks second among all active college football coaches and first among NCAA Division I active coaches. Ford, who is set to retire at the end of the year, has won four Northeast Conference Coach of the Year honors and led the Great Danes to six NEC titles.
The state-of-the-art 8,500-seat facility includes a distinct press level with four luxury suites, print media area, and booths for radio, television, coaches, and replay, as well as 20 high-definition televisions distributed throughout the level.
The stadium also features a $ 1.1 million Daktronics scoreboard with a 39’ by 22’ high-definition video display and point-source sound system behind the south end zone.
“This new facility is a testament to the tireless dedication of UAlbany Vice President for Athletic Administration and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee McElroy, football coach Bob Ford, the entire athletics staff and our incredible student athletes,” said UAlbany President Robert J. Jones. “Through their efforts, UAlbany’s Division I athletics program has become a model for success, highlighted by its commitment to academic excellence and sportsmanship.”
“This stadium is a tremendous acknowledgment of all that our coaching staffs and athletes have accomplished over the years, particularly the last decade,” said McElroy. “UAlbany athletes set a standard for achievement, both on the field and in the classroom. Our students, coaches, alumni and community supporters now have the Division I-level facilities their dedication merits.”
The facility will be home to Great Danes NCAA Division I football and soccer teams. The project was completed by Whiting-Turner Contracting Company; with support from principle architect and designer Heery International Inc., and site engineer Clough Harbor & Associates.
The UAlbany football team will officially unveil the new stadium Saturday when the Great Danes play the University of Rhode Island at 7:00 p.m. in the program’s inaugural Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game.
