UPEI to Name Sports Field in Honour of AJ MacAdam
The upcoming UPEI Homecoming celebrations, September 27 to 30, will be a memorable experience for everyone connected with the University, but for rugby supporters it will be extra-special. That’s because the newly renovated grass sports field that will host all future UPEI rugby events, as well as provincial, regional, and national championships, is to be named the MacAdam Field in honour of the late Alban Joseph (AJ) MacAdam of Morell.
The formal naming ceremony takes place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 29, just before the UPEI men’s rugby game against Saint Mary’s.
AJ MacAdam’s legendary accomplishments as a sports competitor and leader are a proud part of the history of St. Dunstan’s University (SDU), one of UPEI’s two founding institutions. He was the only four-letter athlete in the history of SDU to receive the “Gold D” for his excellence in rugby, basketball, track and field, and hockey.
"UPEI is proud to name the new MacAdam Field in recognition of AJ MacAdam's contributions as an athlete, coach, and teacher, and in recognition of athletic excellence," says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. "It is significant that this will become official on Homecoming Weekend, as we renew our ties with the people who have built UPEI over the decades."
UPEI has upgraded and resurfaced the natural turf field as part of its development plan for excellence in sports programming. Recently completed improvements include fencing, a press box, bleachers, a score clock, drainage, and overseeding.
“We have elevated the field to a premier grass facility,” says Ron Annear, UPEI Athletics Director. “Maturation of the grass will see the field as one of the best rugby facilities in Atlantic Canada. The excellence in our rugby program and the quality of MacAdam Field will be very fitting symbols of AJ's accomplishments.”
When AJ MacAdam was inducted into the UPEI Sport Hall of Fame in 2002, he was described as “a speedy tail up in rugby, a strong defenseman in hockey, and a two-time Atlantic All-Star in this sport. He was a fine basketball player and the best all-round track-and-field athlete at the school.” After his collegiate days as an athlete ended, he joined the University as a teacher. He coached rugby and hockey and was later appointed the SDU Athletics Director.
For more details about all the sports and social events taking place during Homecoming 2007, go to upei.ca/homecoming.
