Dix Stadium and Murphy Mellis Field are set to get new turf in time for the fall semester.

The last time the turf was replaced was about eight years ago, Michael Bruder, executive director of facilities planning and design, said.

“The ultraviolet rays from the sun are pretty hard on the plastics of the turf,” Bruder said.

Dix Stadium’s turf replacement will be completed before the first football game this August, but the stadium will also be used by the women’s soccer team.

“The soccer team has moved to the Dix stadium field because their former field dimensions were not large enough to allow them to host tournament games,” said Rebekkah Berryhill, the groundskeeping supervisor. “It also affords them the opportunity to play in inclement weather.”

The former soccer field did not allow this due to poor drainage and no irrigation.

The old soccer field will be used by soccer, football and lacrosse teams to practice or hold camps. The teams will use it as a practice field during the weeks in which they travel to play games on natural surfaces.

Murphy-Mellis Field will take longer to complete because the dimensions of the field are being altered and an irrigation system is being installed. It is set to be completed by September 18.

“This field had been home to the field hockey team previously, and will now be shared with the new women’s lacrosse team,” Bruder said.

Neither of these fields will be inlaid with boundary markings for any specific sport.

“My team of employees will paint the field for each game and switch the field around for the different sports,” Berryhill said.

Groundskeepers will use turf paint and remover in between games and seasons.

Caitlin Albright is the construction, traffic and safety reporter. Contact her at [email protected].