CLINTON, Iowa - Excitement surrounding Ashford University's emerging athletic resources continues to grow as a future artificial turf soccer field and track awaits for the upcoming academic year.

A visit to the ongoing construction at 1650 South 14th Street reveals a dazzling venue inscribed with an Ashford athletic logo at midfield and script at both ends of the field. Lighting has been built surrounding the complex and temporary seating with a capacity of 500 will be installed.

The Saints' men's and women's soccer programs are anxiously anticipating their first home contests of the fall. The NAIA championship-qualifying men's squad will break in the new field on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 1, at 3 p.m., playing host in a non-conference battle against Illinois Institute of Technology.

The women's soccer team debuts Tuesday, Aug. 31, for a late-afternoon match at 5:00 against Trinity Christian College, a program the Saints defeated a year ago when the Trolls were ranked eighth nationally.

Altogether, the new field will be home to a combined 12 soccer events with the potential to host postseason play in November.

Ashford will also play host to the Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship, slated for Saturday morning, Nov. 6, and welcome in several schools for the inaugural Ashford Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 9.

The AU women's soccer team will host an intra-squad evening scrimmage on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 6 p.m. At the same time, a full test run of video webcasting, audio commentary and live stats, is scheduled to be broadcast on www.ashfordathletics.com.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of construction will be held at the field in late summer or early fall.