Since its opening in 1995, state-of-the-art Ludwig Field has been the home of the Terrapin men's and women's soccer teams as well as playing host to numerous other local soccer events throughout the past 12 years.
Due to the expanding horizon of Terrapin soccer and the growing interest in its achievement on the field, the University of Maryland embarked on a project that would bring the level of the facility on par with the excellence of the programs that played there.
The $2.5 million facility was dedicated on Sept. 16, 1995, and is surely a cornerstone of collegiate soccer throughout the nation.
The 6,000-seat facility is an integral part of the more than $40 million of new construction for Maryland athletics. The complex is fully lighted with an all-weather track and sodded Bermuda grass playing field. In 2004, a new state-of-the-art scoreboard with in-game statistics and lively graphics was installed. In 2007, an enclosed press box was installed for the media and an additional 1,500 seats were added to improve the facility's capacity from 4,500 to 6,000.
The permanent lights allow for commonly scheduled night games. The lights also allow Maryland the ability to host NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference tournaments and nationally televised games. Since its opening, Ludwig Field has played host to 25 NCAA Tournament games, including 11 Maryland wins in the tournament in the last six years. Those wins allowed the Terps to make four consecutive College Cup appearances from 2002-05.
Fans came out to watch Maryland in record numbers over the past few seasons. In 2006, the Terps set a school record in attendance with over 40,000 people. The total ranked second in the NCAA, and the Terps average attendance of 2,727 ranked third in the country. Highlighting the home season in 2006 was a record crowd of 6,489 to see Maryland play Duke. In addition, two more home dates in 2006 set records. A crowd of 6,214 came out to watch Boston College in their first ever match in College Park which ranks second and NC State drew 4,565 which is now sixth. A total of 5,022 spectators came out in 2007 to watch the Terps battle rival West Virginia which ranks fifth. In 2005, Maryland set a record as over 33,000 fans came out to watch the Terps play highlighted by the then-record of 6,203 that came out to watch the Terps take on Indiana. In 2004, the Terps had three crowds of over 3,200 in games against St. John's (one regular season, one postseason) and Duke. In 2003, nearly 30,000 people came to watch the Terps play, the second-highest total in the nation.
In addition to the collegiate games played at Ludwig Field, the complex has played host to numerous U.S. and professional soccer matches, as well. Among the teams who have used Ludwig Field as their home-away-from-home are the 2000 U.S. Women's National Team and the WUSA's own Washington Freedom.
In addition to the high-level of competition created by the excellent playing surface at Ludwig Field, the complex was also created with the local soccer fan very much in mind. The field is located directly adjacent to Parking Lot 1 and close to the University Boulevard entrance.
Numerous Terrapin All-Americans have called the field home, with Maryland fighting its way to an 121-32-11 record on its home field.
The facility is named after lifetime Terrapin friends Bob and Louise Ludwig.
Maryland Soccer: A Spectator Sport!
The Maryland men's soccer team has increasingly attracted more and more fans to Ludwig Field season after season. In 2006, the team set a school record with over 40,000 fans, a total that was second-best in the country. The Terps success and winning ways are a major factor in packing the stands, but there is more to the team's increasing popularity than just wins and losses. The electric atmosphere features one of the most vocal and supportive student groups in the country lurking behind the opponents' goal: The Crew. In addition, the intimacy of Ludwig Field puts fans right in the middle of the action. And the Terps play an attacking, offensive brand of soccer that delivers the excitement that only a goal can provide. All of this has helped make a Maryland men's soccer game a popular, exciting and unique fan experience.
