The Mercer Bears will be running around on a new football field this fall. The football field will be replaced and installed before the 2024 season amidst a larger facility upgrade plan by the university. Mercer plays at Five Star Stadium, which opened in 2013 and coincided with football’s return that year. The Bears played on a FieldTurf surface and will continue playing on the same type.
Mercer announced three major athletic upgrades in January 2024 with a baseball performance center, a tennis and golf facility, and an upgrade to the stadium’s north end. The end zone upgrade will entail adding tailgate tents and a raised seating area beneath the video board. A rendering of what the final construction could look like can be found here.
Mercer is at least the fifth FCS team to replace its football field this offseason. Bucknell, Mississippi Valley State, North Carolina Central, and Tennessee State announced the installation of a new FieldTurf surface this offseason.
Mercer is coming off its best stretch since it brought back football. The school went 23-11 over the last three seasons and made the 2023 FCS Playoffs. The Bears won the first-round game at home 17-7 against Gardner-Webb before falling to eventual national champions South Dakota State 41-0 in the second round. The Bears will start its 2024 season at home on the new field against Presbyterian on Thursday, August 29 with head coach Mike Jacobs making his Mercer debut.
Photo Credit to Mercer University Athletics
