Kent State

Location

Kent, OH, United States

Capacity

25,319

Opened

1969

Time zone

UTC -05:00 Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Dix Stadium is a stadium in Kent, Ohio, United States, on the campus of Kent State University. It is the home field of the Kent State Golden Flashes football, women's soccer, and women's lacrosse teams. Previously, it was used by the field hockey team (1997–2004) and served as a secondary venue for men's soccer in the 1970s. The stadium opened in 1969 as an "expansion and relocation" of the original Memorial Stadium and was named in 1973 for Robert C. Dix, a longtime university trustee and former publisher of the Record-Courier. The playing surface is known as Zoeller Field during women's soccer games. Dix Stadium features three grandstands with a total capacity of 25,319. The west grandstand houses the press box and offers the most seating, while the east side is smaller and includes areas for party tents. The south end zone contains the scoreboard and an open plaza. Notable upgrades include the addition of permanent lights in 1996 and the installation of artificial turf in 1997 (replaced in 2005). Several renovations have reshaped the stadium, including the removal and replacement of the east stands in 2002–03 and the demolition of the south bleachers in 2008, which reduced the original capacity from 30,520 to its current size. The stadium is part of a larger athletic complex that includes the Kent State Field House, Murphy–Mellis Field, and Devine Diamond. In addition to university events, it regularly hosts high school football and has been the site of major collegiate tournaments, including the 2001 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship and several Mid-American Conference events.