2009 Middle Tennessee Blue Raider Soccer The Blue Raider soccer program enters its 11th full season and 12th overall at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium this fall after playing for the first time at the facility October 14, 1998, against Tennessee Tech with a 4-0 shutout. The former Middle Tennessee Track and Soccer Stadium was renamed in the spring of 2009 for longtime MT track coach Dean A. Hayes. The multimillion dollar facility, at the corner of Greenland Drive and Champion Way, provides Middle Tennessee with one of the finest facilities in the region and in the Sun Belt Conference. A two-phase renovation was completed in time for the 2007 soccer campaign and the stadium was dedicated May 1, 2007. Phase I was completed May 15, 2006, and included the installation of four banks of lights as well as a 1,500-seat stadium. Phase II featured the completion of the stadium, the addition of four locker rooms designed for flexible use, a 700-square foot press box and an 845-square foot camera deck. “This unbelievable facility enables us to host major events, and we are working to do that,” Blue Raider Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said. “This is one of the finest soccer and track facilities in the country. Middle Tennessee is on the move, and we will not settle for second best.” MT set a school single-game attendance record when 1,309 attended the Blue Raiders’ first game in the new stadium and under the lights. The fans were rewarded with a 3-1 victory against Southern Miss, August 25, 2006. The stadium plays host to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association’s state track championships and is also home to the Blue Raider men’s and women’s outdoor track teams. Middle Tennessee served as the host institution for the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the second meet held at the facility. Middle Tennessee also will play host to the 2011 Sun Belt Soccer Championships, it was announced by the league office during the annual spring meetings in May 2009. It will mark the first time the tournament has come to Murfreesboro. The Blue Raider soccer team has had tremendous success at the facility since it opened in 1998, owning a 70-21-5 record. The record improves to 50-10-4, including a pair of undefeated home slates (9-0 in 2004 and 10-0 in 2006) under head coach Aston Rhoden during the last seven seasons.
Home of the 2011 Sun Belt Soccer Championships
Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium