BRALY MUNICIPAL STADIUM
BRALY MUNICIPAL STADIUM Built: 1940s Capacity: 14,215 Surface: ProGrass Host site of 28 NCAA Division II Football National Championship Games (1986-2013)
Braly Municipal Stadium is recognized across the nation as one of the top college football facilities in the NCAA Division II. The Lions have played at the same home site since the rebirth of their football program in 1949. Originally known as Coffee Stadium, adjacent to the former Coffee High School, the facility was renamed Tom Braly, Jr. Stadium in 1964. Braly was a football coach at Coffee High School in the 1940's and 50's and became the school's principal in the early 1950's. Following his death from a heart attack, the stadium was renamed in his honor prior to the start of the 1964 season. With a major renovation to the facility in 1980, the stadium was renamed Braly Municipal Stadium, signifying the partnership between the University of North Alabama, the Florence School Board and the Florence Parks and Recreation Department. The 14,215 seat stadium has been the site of numerous University of North Alabama football victories and has served as host for 29 of UNA's 45 NCAA playoff games. Additionally, from 1986 to 2013 Braly Municipal Stadium hosted the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game as well. Since the Division II title game was created in 1972, no city had served as the host for more than five years until the Shoals area and Braly Stadium did it for 28 straight years. It is the second longest continuous period that any site had hosted any NCAA championship in any sport on any level. Renovated in 1980, and again in 1998, the stadium now seats 14,215 and has an artificial ProGrass playing surface to rival any in the country. Braly Municipal Stadium features two modern dressing rooms, a $175,000 scoreboard, concession stands, restrooms and a renovated three-level press box. The first level can hold up to 50 sports writers in the press room. The second level houses coaching staffs from both schools, the public address announcer, the clock operator and both home and visiting radio crews., in addition to two sky boxes . The third floor is used by television and film crews.
In 1996, the Lions tied an NCAA Division II record when UNA's home winning streak reached 28 games. The Lions all-time record at Braly is now 244-111-8 over the last 65 seasons. Another of the UNA football facilities is the Self Field House, which provides almost 18,000 square feet of space for the Lions’ football program, with coaches’ offices, equipment rooms and indoor practice facility, a modern weight room and more. Spacious dressing rooms, a sauna, walk-in whirlpool and an expanded training room and other extras give UNA plenty of room to supervise the care of its student athletes. The UNA athletic facilities have kept pace with the Lions’ athletic program as UNA continues to prove it has one of the premier programs in the country.
Overflow crowds attended the 1993, 1994 and 1995 NCAA Division II National Championship games held in Braly Stadium and watched the Lions win three consecutive championships on their home field
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