University of Iowa Breaks Ground on New Field Hockey Facility

The University of Iowa community celebrated a milestone groundbreaking ceremony, marking the official start of construction on a state-of-the-art field hockey operations center. University leaders, coaches, donors and student-athletes gathered to celebrate the start of construction and the realization of a more than a decade-long vision for the next chapter for a program with a longstanding history of success on the national and international stages. Designed by RDG Planning & Design, the facility will provide a dedicated home for the practice and game day operations of Iowa women’s field hockey student-athletes, coaches and staff.

“This day has been a long time coming. We’ve been working toward a dedicated home for Iowa Field Hockey for nearly 12 years,” said the University of Iowa Field Hockey Head Coach Lisa Cellucci. “Our new home will stand beside Grant Field, allowing us to honor the remarkable women who built Iowa Field Hockey while providing the next generation of Hawkeyes with everything they need to carry the legacy forward.”

The new facility encompasses 8,700 SF and consolidates the program’s practice and game-day operations in a location directly adjacent to its competition venue. Teaching, training, recovery and social spaces support the day-to-day needs of student-athletes, coaches and staff and are organized to maximize productivity and eliminate unnecessary redundancies. The layout considers each moment in the day of a student-athlete or coach, creating purposeful connections between activities and spaces.

“From the beginning, our focus has been on understanding how the University of Iowa’s field hockey team moves through each day and how design can make those moments more connected and productive,” said RDG Architect and Senior Partner, Tom Ohle, AIA. “This program has an extraordinary legacy, and the new facility creates a home that supports that legacy by giving student-athletes and coaches an environment designed specifically around what they need to prepare, compete and perform at the highest level.”

RDG’s design also incorporates performance-dedicated spaces that are balanced with opportunities for the team to gather and build relationships, creating an environment that supports individual development and the collective culture of the University of Iowa’s women’s field hockey team. Its location beside Grant Field further strengthens the connection between the team’s daily activities and its competition environment.

The construction of the operations center was made possible through widespread private support, led by significant leadership gifts from alumni and dedicated donors, including key contributions from Margot and Ed Monser. 

The University of Iowa anticipates opening the facility for the 2027 field hockey season.