Bluffton University will unveil its Alumni Field, with newly installed artificial turf and upgraded track and field event areas, Saturday  at Salzman Stadium.

The field will be dedicated at about 1:15 p.m., prior to the 1:30 p.m. kickoff of Bluffton’s home-opening football game against Baldwin Wallace.

Bluffton alumni and friends contributed more than $750,000 to the campaign for the improvements. A leadership team of 13 alumni athletes, friends and university trustees contributed gifts of $10,000 or greater, totaling $410,000.

With the improvements, Bluffton student-athletes will benefit from a multipurpose, all-weather playing surface, plus an enhanced track and field event complex. The artificial surface will also reduce annual maintenance costs, while the resurfaced track and field event areas will allow Bluffton to host the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference meet, and possibly larger high school meets.

Combined with its baseball, softball and indoor athletic facilities—in the Sommer Center—Bluffton will have a full range of facilities for student-athletes, as well as intramural participants, that are equal to the best in the Beavers’ athletic conference.