Major Upgrades to SMSU Athletic Facilities

Over the summer, two facilities on campus received major enhancements. Mattke Field and the Don Palm Natatorium are used not only by SMSU students and athletic teams, but the city of Marshall and surrounding communities.

The original artificial turf at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center, which opened in 2008, was replaced along with two new field goal posts. A six-feet-by-six-inch concrete walk beside the seating area was also added for equipment storage, while a new netting system will also be installed to cover and protect the scoreboard on the north end of the stadium.

The Schwan Regional Event Center is the competition home for SMSU football and soccer and has also hosted SMSU softball games in the spring. The facility is also the home of Marshall High School football and soccer, high school football section championship games and is used by numerous campus and community organizations.

Among the upgrades the Don Palm Natatorium received included resurfacing of the pool deck and the bottom of the competition pool and diving well, new gutters and drainage around the perimeter of the competition pool and diving well and top-of-the-line starting block installation.

The Don Palm Natatorium Renovation Project is ongoing. Donations to the project will continue to make the facility one of the finest aquatic facilities in the region. Individuals or businesses interested in supporting the project can contact SMSU swimming & diving coach Marty Wahle at Marty.Wahle@smsu.edu or 507-537-7097.