Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/151812
2013 FURMAN PALADINS FOOTBALL PALADIN STADIUM F urman's Paladin Stadium, nestled beautifully on campus with a scenic view of Paris Mountain, is the football home of the Paladins, having opened in 1981 to replace Sirrine Stadium, which served as the site of Furman football for 45 years. The stadium, which features 16,000 permanent seats, originally was constructed to accommodate 13,200 spectators. Prior to the 1985 season, 2,800 additional seats were added, giving the stadium its current capacity. Following the completion of the 2012 campaign, the school began construction of the Pearce-Horton Football Complex, a 44,000-square foot, four-story facility that will serve as the new operational home for Furman football, complete with locker room, coaches' offices, meeting rooms, sports medicine center, and "Heritage Hall." Due for completion in the fall of 2013, the new building will also feature a club level and new press box. Designed by McMillan, Pazdan, and Smith of Greenville, the project is being handled by Triangle Construction, also of Greenville. Another significant improvement for Paladin Stadium includes the summer 2013 installation of a new ShawSports "Thunderbolt" playing surface, which will replace the original natural grass field. Other planned changes to enhance fan game day experience include the addition of padded chair back seating, improved lighting, and new pubic address system. Paladin Stadium is the third home of Furman football since 1919. Manly Field, completed in that year, served as the home of Furman football until 1936, when Furman moved the site of its football contests to then-newly constructed Sirrine Stadium. The first game played in Sirrine Stadium — a 14-13 Furman win over Davidson — was the sixth game of the year for Furman during the 1936 season. In 1980, Furman closed its association with Sirrine Stadium with a 28-15 victory over arch-rival The Citadel to win its first outright Southern Conference football championship. Furman opened Paladin Stadium in the same fashion it did Manly and Sirrine, winning the first game played within its confines. The Paladins defeated East Tennessee State, 21-0, in the stadium's inaugural contest and in a quarter century of play have gone on to record a 149-43-1 (.774 winning percentage) home record, claiming 10 Southern Conference championships and the 1988 NCAA I-AA (FCS) national championship along the way. In 1985 the stadium's field was named Eugene Stone Field in honor of Stone, who was directly responsible for the additional seats added to the stadium prior to the 1985 season. In 2009 the school added a new 13x32 video board and scoreboard. From initial grading to completion, Paladin Stadium took two years to be realized at a cost of approximately $2 million dollars. Construction was by Farley Construction of Columbia, S.C. Furman 80 Paladins