Soccer hosts FanFest in new stadium

Fans were invited inside USF’s new Corbett Soccer Stadium for the first time Monday evening as the men and women’s soccer teams hosted FanFest, with coaches and members from both teams present.

Women’s coach Denise Schilte-Brown addressed the crowd from the field during the presentation, remembering the old stadium before gloating about the new facility.”The fact that we had that stadium last year and built this one is amazing,” Schilte-Brown said.

The actual playing surface is below street level, creating a bowl effect that should contain noise and add excitement to the environment at soccer games this season.

“There’s a lot of good stadiums out there, but most have tracks or spacing,” Schilte-Brown said, referring to the lack of a running track at the new stadium, which allows fans to get closer to the field and creates a better game experience for them.

Men’s soccer coach George Kiefer described the stadium as “a dream come true” and “well thought-out and perfectly designed for college soccer.”

With the stadium’s modern design and the atmosphere it will create, Kiefer said recruiting is expected to receive a major boost from having an improved facility.

Schilte-Brown said the stadium “will help us have success in games, better recruiting and propel this school forward.”

The Corbett Soccer Stadium hosts its season opener when the men’s soccer team takes on the University of Tampa in an exhibition match tonight at 7:30. The women’s soccer team plays its first home game against Indiana on Friday at 7:30 p.m.