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Kentucky's turf crew shares first look at the new playing surface in Kroger Field

Drew Franklinby:Drew Franklin04/06/23

DrewFranklinKSR

kroger-field-exterior-sign-kentucky-football
Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

As Kentucky Football puts the finishing touches on its spring ball this week, over at Kroger Field, the turf crew is only beginning its spring work on the playing surface.

Today, the UK Sports Turf Twitter account shared a first look at the new install on C.M. Newton Grounds inside Kroger Field. The photo reveals the old field has already been pulled and the new one from Hellas Construction, a stadium-specific construction company out of Texas, is currently being put into place where the Wildcats will play eight home games this fall, beginning September 2 with Ball State in the 2023 opener.

One downside of the renovation, Kentucky could not hold a traditional Blue-White scrimmage at Kroger Field this spring. An open practice was held on Saturday, April, 1, to still offer fans a sneak peek at the team.

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You can see KSR’s highlights from the open practice at the outdoor fields here.

A rendering of Kroger Field’s new turf

Before the turf renovation began, UK Athletics and Hellas Construction shared a rendering of the project’s final look:

UK Athletics/Hellas Construction

The expectation is the field will be ready for football activity by midsummer, in plenty of time for the beginning of Kentucky Football’s fall camp in August.

Remember, Nutter Field House is getting a renovation, too. It’s a big offseason for the Wildcats’ facilities.

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