A behind-the-scenes turf team prepares for the NCAA women’s soccer tournament at MSU

Contact: Mary Kathryn Kight

STARKVILLE, Miss.As the No. 1 seed Mississippi State Women’s Soccer team prepares to defend its home court in this weekend’s NCAA tournament, another team has also been working hard all season to ensure the field is ready for the crucial moment Saturday (November 16) at 5 p.m. p.m

“My goal is to make this grass as green as a soybean leaf,” said Brandon Hardin, MSU associate director of athletic fields and a 2006 graduate of the university’s golf and sports turf management program.

To achieve that goal, continuous maintenance is required. Hardin’s team, which also includes MSU turf management students, mows the field — better known in football as the field — at or below a half-inch daily and uses a fertilization program balanced with monthly minimum amounts of organic and synthetic nitrogen with slow release. . Aeration and top dressing are also done monthly according to the practice and competition schedules.

“We want to be behind the scenes, out of sight, out of mind. Our staff works closely with coaches to ensure the field is ready without disrupting the athletes’ focus,” Hardin said.

But aesthetics are secondary to safety – a priority that fans may not consider when managing turf surfaces.

“Ultimately, our number one goal is athlete safety,” said Jay McCurdy, MSU Extension turfgrass specialist and associate professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. “A big part of what we do in terms of turfgrass management is making sure the field is uniform: no holes and no divots. When players cut or turn, the surface must provide support while allowing room for yield. A biomechanical failure in the athlete is far worse than any failure on the turf.”

Originally built in the 1990s, the MSU football field underwent a major renovation in 2010 to address the challenges of the native clay-heavy soil. The upgrade included a 6-inch sand base over geotextile material, combined with a herringbone drainage system designed to handle heavy rainfall.

“Earlier this season, when we played right after a major storm, the surface was playable because of the way we kept it prepared and ready at all times,” Hardin said.

The field is covered with Tifway 419 Hybrid Bermuda Grass, grown in Tupelo, and overseeded with perennial ryegrass each fall. This combination creates a durable yet forgiving surface, crucial for both athlete performance and safety. The turf’s unique properties, such as its ability to recover from wear and tear, help keep the field consistent and uniform, even during intense postseason play.

McCurdy explained that the type of grass often influences cleat selection.

“The equipment staff will consider what type of grass the athletes are playing on – whether it is natural or synthetic, warm-season Bermuda grass or overseeded Bermuda grass – and choose different cleat lengths or even choose cleats based on the grass.” McCurdy said.

Hosting the NCAA tournament takes more than just well-maintained grass. It is a carefully choreographed effort that involves field preparation, paint drying schedules and communication with the coaching staff. With four teams practicing and playing on the field in one day, distributing wear and tear becomes a priority.

“Whether it’s preseason, midseason or postseason, we prepare the same way. But the excitement of hosting a tournament like this makes everything worth it,” said Hardin.

Learn more about MSU’s golf and sports turf management program at Golf and sports turf management | Plant and soil sciences | Mississippi State University. Visit MSU Women’s Soccer online at https://hailstate.com/sports/womens-soccer.

Mississippi State University takes care of what matters. More information at www.msstate.edu.