Vidas Athletic Complex
     Renovations to Drexel’s athletics fields continued during the summer. The Field Complex at 43rd and Powelton now boasts two turf fields in addition to resurfaced tennis courts and a well-maintained softball field.
     “We are excited about the changes that have been implemented at Drexel’s athletics fields,” said Drexel Director of Athletics Dr. Eric Zillmer. “We feel the upgrades to our facilities enable us to compete and recruit at a higher level and keep us competitive with the other schools in the Colonial Athletic Association.”
     Robert Buckley, ‘58, a member of Drexel's Board of Trustees and a former student-athlete at the school, was a key figure in the efforts to make the transformation a reality through his support and generous contributions. His company, Buckley and Company, Inc., completed the base-layer work for the Astroturf field as well as other smaller projects for the renovations.
     Last season the field hockey team called Buckley Field “home” for the first time since 1997. The team plays on the state-of-the-art Astroturf field, which is located on the North side of the Complex. The field also features a new scoreboard as well as bleachers, which can seat up to 500 spectators. In its first season on the home turf, the Dragons went 8-4 and lost just one non-conference home game all season.
     Vidas Field is the lower field at the Complex, which serves as the home for Drexel’s men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. The field is named for Drexel alum Vince Vidas who graduated in 1959 and then earned his master’s in electrical engineering in 1964. He later became the president and CEO of SEMCOR, Inc. A Drexel Hall of Fame inductee, Vidas was a three-year letter winner in football and two-time All-America selection. He also played basketball and lacrosse for one season. Vidas married Judy Weber who was a 1956 Drexel graduate.
     The field which carries his name has been converted from natural grass to a Sprinturf field, which is a synthetic infill system with a combination of sand and rubber. Last season Vidas Field played host to the Drexel Invitational Soccer Tournament and was a practice site for the 2006 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Final Four, in addition to hosting Drexel’s regular-season soccer and lacrosse games.
Lighting has been added to both the Astroturf and the synthetic Sprinturf fields and a portion of the tennis courts. The addition of lights allows teams to play night games and schedule morning and evening practices to better accommodate the schedules of the student-athletes.
     The latest additions to the field house complex are the Jack Buckley Hoogstraten Sports Medicine Center and the renovation of both the men’s lacrosse locker room and coaches’ offices. The center allows Drexel’s sports medicine staff to provide student-athletes with immediate medical attention and treatment at the athletics field complex. In addition, locker room facilities have been expanded over the summer. Exterior improvements to the field house, including a 44-by-56 patio addition to the Kopp Lounge, will also enable teams and fans to further enjoy the Drexel experience at the Vidas Athletic Complex.

                    Softball Field                                                         Tennis Courts

                     Kopp Lounge                                                       Patio

John A. Daskalakis Men's Lacrosse Locker Room