CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Wabash College will dedicate its new football stadium and field on Saturday.
Little Giant Stadium and Frank Navarro Field will be dedicated at halftime of Wabash’s football game against Allegheny College on Saturday, Sept. 18.
An event announcement from the school said the $15 million stadium is "fully accessible and includes a main grandstand with seating for more than 3,500 fans."
The new press box includes areas for media, game operations and coaching booths. A second-floor "W. Club Lounge" consists of four dedicated suites.
The playing surface is artificial FieldTurf surrounded by a Beynon all-weather track surface for track and field events. The scoreboard, ticketing and concession areas are all new, as well.
The W. Club Lounge bears the name of Wabash alumnus Kevin Clifford and his family. Clifford, a former quarterback and 1977 Wabash graduate, contributed $10 million to the stadium project.
“Kevin has given his time, talents, and treasure to Wabash for four decades, but this extraordinary gift allowed us to create one of the finest stadiums in NCAA Division III,” President Scott Feller said.
Clifford was also an assistant coach in 1977 when Wabash went 11-2 and played in the Division III National Championship game. A former school trustee, he also served on a presidential search committee and was on the cabinet of two capital campaigns that raised over $200 million for Wabash.
When Clifford left Wabash, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Funds Group. He is also on the Board of Directors of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame, as well as the boards of The National World War II Museum and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation.
Clifford asked that the playing field be named in memory of Frank Navarro, Wabash’s Hall of Fame football coach who led the team to the 1977 Stagg Bowl championship game.
“I was fortunate to play for and work for Coach Navarro,” Clifford said. “The lessons learned under his tutelage served me well in life and business."
The new stadium was designed by the DLR Group’s Kansas City-based Sports Design arm.
