The new KSU Sports & Recreation Park formally opened its doors today amidst a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a coin toss, exhibitions of rugby, cheer, lacrosse and other club and intramural sports, and Open House tours of the new Owls Nest. The first phase of the KSU Sports & Recreation Park –– featuring two state-of-the-art synthetic-turf fields and the 16,000-square-foot Owls Nest indoor training facility –– was completed in late September. The new park spreads across a 14-acre parcel, part of 88 acres of new KSU land located east of Interstate 75 recently purchased by the KSU Foundation to be developed into much-needed sports fields and recreational facilities. "The KSU Sports & Recreation Park will play a major role in the continuing transformation of this university,” said Daniel S. Papp, president of Kennesaw State University. “The two new fields and the Owls Nest are great additions to the university’s infrastructure. Yet, this new park does more than provide much-needed facilities. It enables more KSU students to participate in intramural and club sports. When this project is fully complete, it will take our campus to a whole new level.” As varsity sports at KSU have reached National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I status, the university’s intramural and club sports also are poised to take off and flourish. In the past three years, the intramural and club program has experienced more than a 30 percent increase in participation. Kennesaw State’s Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Services Jerome Ratchford said the opening of Phase I of the KSU Sports & Recreation Park “demonstrates KSU's commitment to provide suitable facilities to address the recreation and fitness needs of an expanding student population.” Prior to completion of Phase I of this project, KSU had only a 1.7-acre field on the main campus for its 22,500 students. Many club teams had to practice in fields as far away as Woodstock and Alpharetta for lack of facilities. The larger of the two new fields is 80-by-120 yards, which meets regulation requirements for rugby, lacrosse and soccer, while the smaller field can be used for sports such as flag football and ultimate Frisbee.