This was an interesting article at NCAA.com The 11 best places to watch college soccer, according to the fans https://www.ncaa.com/news/soccer-me...st-places-watch-college-soccer-according-fans Here is their list. What do you think? Should someone be added? The short list: Maryland Wake Forest Louisville UC- Santa Barbara South Carolina UN-Omaha Penn State Akron Creighton Indiana Texas A&M Honorable Mentions Gonzaga UMBC Portland GCU
As a NC State grad, this pains me to say but the new facilities at UNC-CH is top notch. Even thorough no official games have been played there yet, any list without is pure non-sense. Unfortunately, I have to miss the August 18 exhibiton game at the facilities between NC State and UNC-CH. https://twitter.com/UNCmenssoccer
Cal Poly SLO shares a field with football, so sometimes the field is a little worn, but the football-sized stadium fills up every year for the UCSB game and gets moderately full for other games - and Amtrak runs almost under the stands on one side, and the scenery in the area is fairytale pretty. USD's big stadium is also shared with football and was enlarged when the San Diego Spirit played in the now-defunct women's league. The campus has some nice ridgetop views out over San Diego to the ocean, but you don't get to see much of it because the stadium is located back in a canyon pocket behind the main buildings and below the upper buildings - the best views for fans are from the top level of the parking structure.
Kentucky Pittsburgh Notre Dame I'd add these three to the list too. IMO, Creighton has slid down the list a little when talking about the venue specifically. At one point, yes, it was a top venue. Sure, the whole environment (when there is a crowd) will give it a little boost compared to other venues (Louisville, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, etc.).
Creighton is keeping up pretty well, in fact ahead of most places now with new advanced turf used in MLS and NFL stadia. Very attractive soccer-only facility, and there almost always is a crowd enhancing it, averaging 2005 fans per game last season. https://gocreighton.com/news/2019/7...eceives-fieldturf-core-upgrade.aspx?path=msoc
Creighton stadium makes a big statement for where soccer ranks on campus Maryland, South Carolina, Indiana classic tops for me Louisville and Kentucky look great on-line in the new stadium category
Louisville was a great stadium and great overall atmosphere. Reminded me of a minor league baseball game...great local support. I’ve been to several of the stadiums on the list and UofL is a top 5 in my book.
Best Stadium In Which To Watch College Soccer is not necessarily the same criteria as Best Stadium In Which To Play College Soccer.
I think Grand Canyon (GCU) has to be in the Top-10. I've been to the majority you have listed and GCU is a pretty sweet set-up.
I watched the GCUvNKU match on the WAC Digitalnetwork. GCU has a beautiful stadium, great turnout, great atmosphere. But the condition of the turf was really poor for so early in the season. I suspect it is difficult to grow grass in a desert. They maybe should consider a turf surface. (I know that is a dirty word among purists- but if the field condition is bad for the 1st match of the season, how is it going to be when they get to the last match in November- both men and womens seasons? I hope they don't have to practice on it.)
I was at Penn State for a game last Friday (ended a 0 - 0 vs. Michigan). The pitch and setting are amazing. The stadium is ok (e.g., no track around the pitch), and attendance -- not so much. A few photos: This is actually the pitch's grass (rye). It is not artificial turf. (Penn State's Turfgrass Science degree is considered one of the best such programs in the world; see: https://plantscience.psu.edu/majors/turfgrass )