Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium is a stadium in Platteville, Wisconsin. It is used for collegiate and high school American football and collegiate soccer, and is the home field of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville "Pioneers".
Pioneer Stadium opened in 1972 and holds 10,000 people.[1] It is the second largest stadium in Division III collegiate football,[1] and the largest soccer stadium. From 1984–2001, the stadium and other university facilities were also used as the Chicago Bears' training camp home.[2]
The stadium is named for Ralph Emerson Davis,[1] a geologist and "godfather of the natural gas industry," who served as the Director of the Wisconsin Mining School, which would eventually merge to form the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. Davis's generous donation helped complete the $1.25 million facilities.
In 2005, stadium renovations included replacing the grass surface with a Pro-Grass in-fill surface.[1]
On June 16, 2014, the stadium was damaged by a tornado.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d "Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium". University of Wisconsin-Platteville Athletics. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
- ^ a b Erickson, Paul (10 July 2014). "Chicago Bears to donate $50,000 to tornado relief". University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Retrieved 11 April 2016.