SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Syracuse field hockey spent the first five games of the season on the road, but on Friday, the Orange finally returned to J.S. Coyne Stadium, where a major change was waiting for them.
Friday’s debut was months in the making. The previous Astroturf dated back to 2016, following Syracuse’s national championship season. This summer, crews removed the old surface and transformed Coyne from green to blue.
“Irorincally, we had our national championship team back last season, and that’s where it kinda all clicked where, it was just time,” Orange head coach Lynn Farquhar said. “So here we are, looking for another elite surface for a program that has a quest for championships and hockey beyond Syracuse.”
But the color is only the most obvious change. Syracuse is the first program in the country playing on AstroTurf’s newest hockey technology. It’s part of the company’s development towards the surface planned for the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles.
“[With] technology, every year something expands,” Farquhar said. “The speed of the surface is really important for us, and the ability to use water but not overdo it. We’re looking at the best in the world.”
The new turf features CoolPlus technology that is designed to reduce friction, surface heat, and water use. It uses more than 70% sugar cane-based material in a dual-yarn structure that had proven success at the 2026 Hockey World Cup.
“I’m pumped, I’m honored, I’m excited,” Orange forward Aubrey Turner said. “My heart’s beating super fast. I’m just really excited.”
Syracuse hasn’t opened a season with five games on the road since 1993, but on Friday, the wait finally ended with a 3-2 shootout win over UMass Lowell. The Cuse hits the road this weekend to open conference play before returning home on October 9 to host Louisville.