— By Bill Cornwell
It’s been a busy summer on the Marshall campus as numerous projects are ongoing at multiple athletic facilities.
Work continues on the installation of a new LED lighting system at Joan C. Edwards Stadium, one that is projected to debut July 29 during the Drum Corps International Huntington show.
The new lights were privately financed by Beckley attorney Stephen New and his wife, Amy, who made a $1 million dollar gift for the project.
Another project that has been completed is the installation of a new artificial surface in the Chris Cline Athletic Center.
The turf, as well as the track surrounding it, are used by most Marshall athletes, including members of the football team who use the facility to practice during bad weather.
Marshall Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison announced during the week the new turf field is being named “Alex Lawrence Field.”
The naming rights came as the result of a contribution to the Big Green Scholarship Foundation by Kim Lawrence, the widow of Alex Lawrence. The contribution covered the entire cost of buying and installing the new turf.
Alex Lawrence played baseball at Marshall from 1955-59 and earned All-Mid American Conference honors during his playing career. The home clubhouse at Marshall’s Jack Cook Field is also named in honor of Alex Lawrence.
“This gift to Marshall is made in loving memory of my husband, Alex, whose generosity and enduring spirit continue to inspire all who knew him,” Kim Lawrence said. “It is my hope that this contribution to the university’s athletic complex will create opportunities for student-athletes to grow, compete and lead with integrity. May Alex’s legacy live on through their achievements and the lasting impact this gift will make for years to come.”
The Lawrence gift allowed Marshall to quickly address its facility needs, according to Harrison.
“Thanks to Kim’s generosity, every day inside the Cline Indoor Athletic Complex will truly be a great day to Run With the Herd,” Harrison said. The installation of our new state-of-the-art artificial turf field inside the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Complex was the number one priority on our ‘Taking Care of Our House’ initiative. Providing our student-athletes with first-class facilities is essential to delivering the championship-level experience they deserve.”
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The Marshall women’s basketball team has strengthened its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season.
After opening at UMass in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge on November 2, the Herd will face two other major road tests — at Duke on November 15 and at Kentucky on November 20.
The meeting at Cameron Indoor Stadium with the Blue Devils will be the first Marshall-Duke game since 1981, a game the Herd won, 58-57. Duke is the reigning ACC Champion and reached the Elite 8 last season.
Kentucky and Marshall will be meeting for the 22nd time when they face off at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington.
The Wildcats played in Huntington last season and defeated the Thundering Herd, 76-44.
Kentucky reached the Sweet 16 last season on the strength of a one-point win against West Virginia in Morgantown.