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Top 25 Players in Stambaugh
Era
"Ice Castle" Has Been the Home for YSU Football
Since 1982
Youngstown State’s football home is something that has been
defended well through its first 25 seasons.
The tallest building in the city, the stadium rises high
above the Mahoning Valley and offers tremendous views in all directions.
Perhaps that is why Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium has garnered
the nickname the “Ice Castle.”
Over the years, the Ice Castle has been a protected place.
Almost four out of five times a visiting program has left Stambaugh
Stadium on the losing end of the score.
Only three times in 25 seasons have the Penguins failed to
finish above .500. At home in the playoffs, YSU is 14-1 having won 14
straight home games after losing to Central Florida in their first-ever
home playoff tilt in November 1990.
Since the 1996 season, the Penguins have posted a stellar
mark of 57-17 (.757 winning percentage). Since the 1989 season, YSU is
an impressive 102-20-1, including undefeated seasons in 1993, 1994 and
2005. In 1993 and 1994, YSU won the FCS National Championship while in
2005 the Guins won the Gateway title. In 2006, the Guins were 7-1
posting playoff wins over James Madison and Illinois State. The contest
against JMU was televised nationally on ESPN2.
The Penguins have won 74.5 percent of their games at
Stambaugh posting an impressive 125-41-1 overall home mark in 25
seasons. Nine of the 10 all-time largest Gateway crowds have been at
Stambaugh.
One of the finest FCS facilities in the country
with a seating capacity of 20,630, Stambaugh has been the home for the
Penguins since the early 1980’s.
Many tweaks have taken place to ensure a home-field
advantage.
Built in 1982 (17,000 capacity) with seating only on the west
side, Stambaugh entered a new era in 1997 when the Stadium underwent a
$5.5 million addition.
Prior to the 1997 campaign, the number of loges (luxury
suites) was expanded from 12 to 26. The Watson Media Center, one of the
best press facilities in FCS, was added onto the second level of the
complex. The DeBartolo Stadium Club, which overlooks the city of
Youngstown, is located on the main loge area, and is used for meetings,
press conferences and luncheons. Also, seating for more than 3,000 was
added on the east side to bring the capacity to 20,630, the highest in
the Gateway Conference.
In 2000, a sound system was added to the east and west sides.
Twice the playing surface has been replaced, most recently in
2002. That summer, SprinTurf, was installed making the school only one
of five FCS schools to play on the syntethic surface. The
replacement removed the AstroTurf that was in place since 1991.
YSU’s athletic administrative offices, ticket office,
football offices, strength-training facility, football and baseball
locker areas, training room and Academic Center are located throughout
the complex.
Six racquetball courts and office areas for the ROTC program
are in the building as well. The multipurpose complex is also home to
the soccer team and intramural events. |
