NSU soccer finds a new home

By Angeline Gilliard •

NSU’s men’s and women’s soccer teams are getting a new home. The former Miami Dolphins training facility is undergoing renovations to meet the needs of its student athletes, and will also serve as the future home for the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs, set to begin in 2025.

The new soccer complex has state-of-the-art locker rooms for players and visitors, a video training and analysis room, and more equipment space. In addition to meeting the many on-field needs of its student athletes, the complex prioritizes team building with many rooms where students can study, hold meetings, and strategize for upcoming matches. The Athletics Department hopes that this space will help foster teamwork and fellowship between athletes, coaches, and staff, ultimately leading to on-field success.

“The new facility will allow us to utilize multiple fields, build some new locker rooms, as well as a satellite athletic training room, a satellite equipment space. Basically, a home for those teams,” said Associate Director of Athletic Operations Ryan Romero.

In the past, NSU’s soccer teams had to make do with locker rooms inside the University Center, which although centralized in location, weren’t always operationally convenient because they were on the other side of campus. The impact of the new soccer complex on overall athletic performance for NSU athletes is already evident according, to Romero.

“It’s very hard to build a team culture when you don’t have a central location for a team to play. It’s a huge boost for team moral,” Romero said.

With on-site locker rooms for both teams conveniently located next to the soccer field, the complex provides a comfortable space for athletes to foster fellowship before practices and games. One of the key features of the new complex is the video room, a place for NSU  teams  to analyze game highlights and estalbish unity.

“It creates that community sense and a real strong team culture where the boys are able to go to hangout, to be with each other before practice, before games in a comfortable environment,” said Matt McArthur, men’s soccer team assistant coach.

The development of the new soccer complex also addressed several challenges faced by the previous facility. The new complex provides improved infrastructure and drainage systems, ensuring that games can proceed even in inclement weather, addressing a longstanding issue of rain delays or cancellations.

“At the other complex, if there was a lot of rain, there was a good chance that our games would get canceled or delayed. With the new complex, the pumps turn on and that field is dry in a matter of minutes,” Romero said.

As construction continues, NSU anticipates a future where this complex becomes the foundation of athletic excellence and team culture.

“The fact that we are all together will increase that team chemistry and culture. That location is key. It has everything we need to be successful,” McArthur said.

The complex will go through multiple stages of construction. According to Romero, Phase 1, which includes the Team Building facilities and three sections of the bleachers for spectators, is complete.

“It should be one of the nicest facilities at our college level and in the NCAA,” Romero said.