Hopp Stadium to open Sept. 30; Franzen Science Center construction begins

Ripon College’s new Hopp Stadium is scheduled to host its first competition Sept. 30 when the Red Hawks football team will host Cornell College. The Sept. 16 home opener vs. Illinois College will be played at Ingalls Field.

With major construction scheduled to finish Sept. 22, the 30th will serve as a soft opening with the essential elements of the stadium expected to be finalized. A grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 21, at which time the College hopes to have nearly all interior and exterior branding as well as elements of the game day experience installed and implemented. In addition to the stadium, the game day experience will include a food trailer, pop-up apparel store and occasional pre-game programming.

“It’s hard to believe that we’ll be playing our first game only five months after the ground was broken,” said Athletic Director Chris Schumacher. “While the full stadium experience won’t be complete until later this year, we are eager to introduce this dynamic space to our immediate and extended community. The College is grateful to Boldt and Kahler Slater for their efficiency and accuracy throughout the design and build process.”

The Oct. 21 grand opening will host women’s soccer vs. Monmouth College at 9 a.m. and football vs. Lake Forest College at 1 p.m. Additional details regarding pre- and post-game programming are forthcoming.

—-

In early August, construction began on the $24.5 million renovation and expansion of the newly named Franzen Science Center. The 68,500 square feet of new construction and renovated space will include labs, classrooms and third spaces as well as a makerspace and advanced physics labs in support of the launch of our new engineering program, announced in June 2023. The Franzen Science Center will continue to facilitate labs and classes throughout the duration of the construction process and is projected for a December 2024 grand opening.

Posted September 12, 2023 in Administration, Athletics News.

---

Related Posts