DAVENPORT ATHLETIC FACILITIES
Drone Video of Athletic Facilities
STUDENT CENTER (6193 Kraft - Grand Rapids, MI 49512) | Photo Gallery
Built in 2008, the Davenport University Student Center became the first-ever home site for many of the Panther athletic teams. Davenport, which rejuvenated its athletic program in 2002-2003, started with just women's basketball and men's hockey programs. The following year, DU added men's basketball and golf programs.
It was not until 2004-2005 that the school became a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in which its basketball and golf programs became official varsity sports.
The first-ever athletic event held inside the Student Center was a women's volleyball match against Indiana Tech on October 21, 2008. The Panthers battled the #17 ranked Warriors, but fell 3-0. The program's first win at home came on October 23 when the Panthers defeated UM-Dearborn 3-1. The first season saw DU post a 4-2 record inside the Student Center.
The men's basketball team opened its 2008-2009 campaign with the first-ever basketball game inside the Student Center on Dedication Weekend at Davenport. The Panthers posted an 83-39 victory over Kuyper College on November 1, 2008.
The women's basketball team waited one more week to open their home season, as they started their year with a 77-70 win over NAIA #4 University of St. Francis.
TURF FIELD (6193 Kraft - Grand Rapids, MI 49512) |
Photo Gallery
The completion of the Student Center also brought the brand new addition of the Turf Field, which sits just to the south of the building. The Panthers lacrosse teams and women's rugby team call the field home. The soccer teams also played their home matches at the Turf Field until the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex stadium was completed. The soccer teams officially played their first games against cross-town rival Cornerstone University.
The women's soccer team played their first-ever game on the new field on October 21, 2008, where they dropped a 5-0 decision to the Golden Eagles. The very next game, the Panthers found the win column as they defeated Indiana Tech 4-3 in an overtime thriller.
The men's team played the very next day, November 22, also against Cornerstone and battled the Golden Eagles to a 1-1 tie. Davenport claimed its first win on the new field on November 25 when they shutout Indiana Tech 4-0.
The men's lacrosse team won their first game at home on March 21, 2009, as they defeated Miami (OH) by a score of 14-9.
The women's lacrosse team played their first game with an 11-2 win over Western Michigan University.
In the fall of 2009, the varsity rugby program began and the Panthers posted a 36-0 shutout of Calvin College in the first-ever game played on the Turf Field.
FARMERS INSURANCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX (6125 68th Street, Caledonia, MI 49316) | Photo Gallery
The Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex was dedicated on March 20, 2013 and with it came the first home venue ever for baseball, softball and tennis. The complex is located on 68th Street just south of the University's W.A. Lettinga Campus and Farmers Insurance Group offices in Caledonia Township. Artificial turf is utilized for the entire baseball field and outfield for the softball stadium. The baseball stadium seats 300 and the softball 200 spectators respectively. Dimensions for the baseball field are 330' to left and right field and 400' to center, while dimensions for the softball field are 200' to left and right, and 210' to center. The complex will also include eight tennis courts. The softball and baseball teams both split their opening series on the fields on March 27 as baseball fell to Aquinas 6-1 before defeating the Saints 10-4. In softball, DU picked up an opening game win over NCAA DII Northwood 9-6 before falling 17-9 in extra innings. In tennis, DU hosted Cornerstone on April 4 as the men defeated the Golden Eagles 8-1 and the women won 9-0.
The football program has called the facility home since the inception of the program in 2016. The first contest came on August 27, 2016 with a loss to Taylor University 41-28. The next home game on Sept. 17 yielded the first home win over Kentucky Wesleyan by a score of 41-7. The Panthers are 5-0 during homecoming games at the stadium entering the 2022 season. The men's rugby team also calls the stadium home for a majority of their contests. The track and field squads are also lucky enough to compete at the stadium. They have hosted numerous home meets including the 2021 GLIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
PATTERSON ICE CENTER (2550 Patterson Ave - Grand Rapids, MI 49546)
Patterson Ice Center has been the home for DU's ACHA Division I hockey program since the 2004-2005 season and also became the home of the Division III program which began in 2008-2009. The Panthers have put Davenport on the national map with their success in Division II, as they made three straight appearances in the Final Four from 2005-2008 and ultimately won the school's first-ever National Championship in any sport in 2007-2008. The Panthers have continued their success at the Division II level by capturing a "three-peat" as National Champions in 2010 in Simsbury, Conn. Davenport hosted its first-ever hockey game at Patterson during the 2004-05 season and came away with a 3-2 victory over the University of Michigan. The ice rink hosts four ACHA hockey programs including Division I, II, and III for the men and Division I for the women.
