LEXINGTON, Va. — Washington and Lee University's Alston Parker Watt Field has been selected as a 2025 Virginia Sports Field Management Association (VSFMA) Field of the Year, recognizing it as the top natural-grass collegiate playing surface in the Commonwealth.

The award, presented annually at the VSFMA Symposium, honors excellence in field management, year-round maintenance practices, safety, and playability. Watt Field was chosen based on a 12-month evaluation window that considers intensity of field usage, staffing and budget, renovation work, and the challenges faced throughout the year.

Watt Field serves as the home venue for W&L men's and women's soccer in the fall and women's lacrosse in the spring. It hosted 43 events during the 2024–25 cycle, including ODAC and NCAA postseason contests.

"This is a tremendous recognition for our W&L Athletics Facilities team and for the standard we strive to uphold for all W&L playing surfaces," said Josh Jones, W&L Director of Athletics Facilities. "We take great pride in providing a safe, consistent, and high-quality field for our student-athletes. This award represents countless hours of daily work by our entire crew and field manager, Jared King's, problem-solving to ensure Watt remains one of the best natural-grass fields in Virginia."
 

The 22-year-old field underwent significant recovery work throughout the past year after widespread winterkill impacted turf health last winter. The field was sprigged with Tahoma 31 bermudagrass in June, followed by a challenging period of drought that required extensive manual care, irrigation adjustments, hand-planting of sprigs, and targeted maintenance across the sand-based surface.

Despite the obstacles, Watt Field returned to full strength by late summer, offering a smooth, level surface with excellent drainage and a consistent ball roll. The field's resilience was on display when it successfully hosted back-to-back soccer matches in September during a 1.5-inch rain event with minimal surface damage.

This past month, Watt hosted the 2025 ODAC Women's Soccer Championship match and was selected as the host site for six NCAA DIII Women's Soccer Tournament games across two weekends in mid-November. 

"Alston Parker Watt Field continues to receive positive feedback from coaches, officials, visiting programs, alumni, and fans," said Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics and Physical Education Jan Hathorn. "Jared's expertise, dedication, and attention to detail have elevated this field to an exceptional level, and this statewide honor is richly deserved. On behalf of the entire department, W&L extends its congratulations to Jared King and the athletics outdoor facilities team for their outstanding stewardship of Alston Parker Watt Field."

As part of the VSFMA recognition, Washington and Lee will receive a field banner, plaque, media coverage, and a team luncheon courtesy of the association.

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Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.