USC President Carol Folt announced plans on Monday for the construction of Rawlinson Stadium, which will be the new home of the Trojans’ women’s soccer and lacrosse programs upon its planned completion in 2025.
This $38 million renovation of Soni McAlister Field, where the Trojans’ soccer and lacrosse squads currently play, recently received a $10 million gift from the Fritz B. Burns Foundation. Construction on the new stadium is set to begin by the end of this year, according to Folt.
“Rawlinson Stadium will be the place for the Women of Troy to dazzle us with their athletic prowess even more,” Folt said in a video released by USC Athletics, which featured images of the project. “USC’s commitment to women’s sports is stronger than ever.”
McAlister Field was built in 1998 to be the home of USC women’s soccer, and it has also housed the university’s women’s lacrosse program since its inception in 2012. The new stadium will increase the spectator capacity by about two and a half times, from the about 1,000-person accommodation of McAlister Field, to seating for around 2,500 people at the new Rawlinson Stadium.
The new stadium will also feature viewing decks, social spaces, a press box, a box office and concession stands, upgrading from the current, cramped bleacher setup of McAlister Field along West 30th Street. The project includes plans for new, dedicated locker rooms for the soccer and lacrosse teams, as well as an LED video board and field lights.
Both the USC women’s soccer and lacrosse programs have enjoyed plenty of success in recent years. The Trojans won national titles in soccer in 2007 and 2016, and the women’s lacrosse squad is coming off of its fifth conference regular season-championship since 2016, in addition to its second Pac-12 Tournament title. With USC’s upcoming move to the Big Ten in 2024, the new stadium will welcome spectators from across the country for fresh conference matchups.
Rawlinson Stadium is named afterJoseph Rawlinson, a well-known philanthropist in Los Angeles. His son, Rex Rawlinson, is a graduate of USC and runs the aforementioned Burns Foundation. The charity was founded by another local philanthropist, Fritz B. Burns, which donated the lead naming gift for the stadium to the university.
This announcement by Folt comes soon after the university renamed its track facility after alumna and Olympian Allyson Felix, in part to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
Some of the Trojans’ coaches and student-athletes expressed their excitement for the project, including women’s lacrosse head coach Lindsey Munday and rising junior forward Simone Jackson of the women’s soccer team.
“We are extremely grateful for the support from the athletics department to ensure that our players have a state-of-the-art facility to train and compete in,” Munday said.
“I am beyond proud to be a part of this time, and I hope to inspire many more girls when my team plays on a field made just for the Women of Troy,” Jackson said.