The dedication of Fred P. Rullo Stadium Sept. 18 was a family affair, as relatives of the new facility's namesake and members of the UD athletics family gathered to celebrate the newest addition to the David M. Nelson Athletics Complex.

The state-of-the-art, artificial turf stadium, located just south of the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center, was made possible, in part, by the generous donation of one UD alumnus: Fred P. Rullo Jr. of Bryn Mawr, Pa., AS '63, a former letterwinner in football and baseball. He and his wife, Madeleine, gave the University $1 million toward the $3.3 million cost of the stadium.

The new stadium, home to the women's field hockey team, also will be used for men's and women's lacrosse practices and home games; football, baseball and softball practices; men's and women's soccer practices and occasional home games; physical education classes; intramural and recreation program events; high school field hockey and lacrosse championships; and Special Olympics events.

At the dedication, President David P. Roselle repeated his words from the news conference when the Rullo gift was first announced. "I said at the press conference several months ago that 'nothing ever built rose to touch the skies unless someone dreamed it should, someone dreamed it could and someone willed that it must. 'The must was an artificial turf stadium and the reality was the $1 million gift of Fred P. and Madeleine Rullo."

The 2,000-seat Rullo Stadium features an artificial turf surface covering 122,928 square feet (2.82 acres). Called Action-Turf-55, this knitted nylon artificial turf system with urethane foam secondary backing is laid over a 1.5-inch-thick elastic shock pad made of pulverized rubber mixed with washed gravel and held together with liquid urethane binder.

The field is watered before field hockey play and practice by four sprinklers, which deliver 400 gallons of water a minute, throwing it 200 feet.

"This magnificent stadium has been a dream-at times a distant dream-but, today, Fred P. Rullo Stadium takes its place as the latest treasure in the David M. Nelson Athletics Complex, the final jewel in the athletics crown," Edgar N. Johnson, UD's director of intercollegiate athletics, said at the dedication.

In his remarks Sept. 18, Johnson attributed UD's athletics success to three factors: "Good, hardworking student-athletes playing for quality coaches in outstanding facilities." He said Rullo Stadium will directly benefit the competitive standing of the field hockey team and also will make a difference for the University's nationally ranked men's and women's lacrosse teams.

"Rullo Stadium opens up a world of possibilities not only for our athletics program, but also for our students who participate in UD recreational, intramural and club sports programs," Johnson said. "There are uses for Rullo Stadium that we have not yet envisioned, and Rullo Stadium will allow us to be creative in offering activities that will both enrich our campus and be fun for the participants."

Also at the ceremony, Jennifer Amoroso, a senior field hockey player, expressed her appreciation to everyone involved for "making this dream come true."

"But, most of all," she said, "I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Rullo on behalf of all the students and athletes who will be fortunate enough to use the field.

"We will never forget all that you have done for us," Amoroso said. "Your generosity has placed you in all of the students' hearts forever. We will think of both of you every time we walk through the gates of Fred P. Rullo Stadium."

R.R.M. Carpenter III, trustee and chairperson of the Committee on Student Life and Athletics, officially dedicated the facility, noting that "in the naming and dedication of this stadium, we will add the Rullo family name to a league of others who have been honored here-among them, David Nelson, Roy Rylander, Scotty Duncan and Bill Murray."

Fred and Madeleine Rullo then joined Carpenter to unveil a facsimile of a plaque that stands at the entrance to Rullo Stadium.

Fred Rullo expressed gratitude to his friends and UD faculty, staff and students, and he gave special thanks to the members of his family who traveled from Florida, California and North Carolina to help celebrate the dedication. The decision to give to the University was a family decision, he said.

And, he said the reason for the gift was simple.

"I've had a love affair with the University of Delaware that goes back to the first day I stepped on campus," Rullo said, attributing his success in life "to my time here in the classrooms and on the playing fields."

He said the University had the confidence in him to award him a full scholarship when it was really needed, and that he was appreciative of his education, as well as the educations that his two daughters and his son-in-law received at UD.

Rullo also said the University provided him with many great memories and "a list of friends as long as my arm." Several of those friends were in attendance at the dedication.

"I am truly humbled to have my name affixed to this stadium," he said.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the stadium scoreboard was unveiled, and it carried a special message of thanks to the Rullos.