Completed in the fall of 2003, the Sandra D. Thompson Field is located in the heart of the athletics complex on the school’s beautiful campus in Blacksburg. The stadium serves as the home of the Tech lacrosse team in the spring and the men's and women's soccer teams in the fall. In 2008, the facility was dedicated in the name of Thompson, a longtime supporter of women’s athletics at Virginia Tech.
Seasons in Use | 22nd Season |
Overall Record | 63-70 (.474) Games: 133 |
ACC Record | 7-45 (.135) Games: 52 |
vs. Non-Conference | 54-23 (.701) Games: 77 |
vs. Ranked Teams | 5-50 (.091) Games: 55 |
Tech’s lacrosse program is establishing itself as a difficult opponent to play at Thompson Field. In 2011, the Hokies went 5-3 at home, a mark that included an upset win over then-No. 16 Boston College. In 2012, Tech went 7-2 at home – the most home wins for the Hokies’ lacrosse program since the school made it a varsity sport in 1995. The 2011 and 2012 campaigns marked the ninth and 10th times that the Hokies have enjoyed winning seasons at home.
The field at Thompson Field features a bluegrass playing surface and measures approximately 75 by 120 yards. It is equipped with an underground irrigation system and a drainage system that allows for the field to be ready for play quickly following rainstorms. The complex also features a wireless scoreboard, and a permanent Hubbell lighting system allows for night games.
The athletics department has made improvements gradually since the venue opened in 2003. In 2005, workers completed a new restroom facility for the field, and during the summer of 2008, a new game operations center was erected atop the stadium above the stands. The approximately 900-square foot facility includes two broadcast booths, two covered areas available for broadcasting and/or videographers’ cameras, and a large working area for media covering the Hokies.
The climate-controlled facility also contains a state-of-the-art sound system and Ethernet capability. The Internet-ready facility allows Tech’s official athletics website, hokiesports.com, to originate live audio broadcasts and live stats of the Hokies’ matches from the press box. Above the grandstand is a wired camera deck, which is accessible to all media.
Between each team’s bench area is the Sandy D. Thompson Press Box. Formerly the press operations center for the field, the facility is now used as a halftime room for game officials and as an auxiliary area for press and game operations.
Thompson Field, which has been expanded since it was opened, now features approximately 2,028 bench-back seats, where each fan has an unobstructed view of the playing surface. Spacious area around the field allows for nearly 1,500 more fans to watch games.
Adjacent to Thompson Field are two practice fields that allow the Tech lacrosse team to train while reducing the wear and tear on the playing field. One of these practice fields is artificial turf, which allows for practicing during inclement weather and also preparing for road matches that are played on artificial turf.
The improvements over the years, the enthusiasm of the fan base and the play on the field make Thompson Field one of the best venues in the ACC to watch lacrosse.
867 Washington Street, SW
Blacksburg, Va. 24061