View source for Hodges Stadium

{{Short description|Multi-purpose stadium in Florida, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Hodges Stadium
| nickname = 
| image = [[File:Hodges Stadium at night.JPG|250 px|]]
| fullname = 
| location = 1S U N F Drive [[Jacksonville, Florida]] 32224<br /> {{flagicon|Florida}} {{flagicon|USA}}
| coordinates = 
| broke_ground = 
| built = 
| opened = 2004
| renovated = 2006; 2008
| expanded = 
| closed = 
| demolished = 
| owner = [[University of North Florida]]
| operator = 
| surface = Natural grass
| construction_cost = 
| architect = 
| structural engineer = 
| services engineer = 
| general_contractor = 
| project_manager = 
| main_contractors = 
| capacity = 12,000
| former_names = 
| tenants = [[North Florida Ospreys]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (2004–present)<br /> [[Jacksonville Axemen]] ([[USA Rugby League|USARL]]) (2006–present)<br /> [[Jacksonville Armada FC]] ([[North American Soccer League (2011)|NASL]]/[[National Premier Soccer League|NPSL]]) (2017–present) <br /> [[United States national rugby league team]] (2009–present) <br/> [[Sporting Club Jacksonville]] ([[USL Super League|USLS]]) (2025–present)
| seating_capacity = 12,000<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/2015-USATF-National-Junior-Olympic-Track---Field-C/Athlete-Info/Competition-Info/Facility-Map.aspx |title=USA Track & Field - Facility & Map |access-date=2015-08-11 |archive-date=2015-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306041437/http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/2015-USATF-National-Junior-Olympic-Track---Field-C/Athlete-Info/Competition-Info/Facility-Map.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| dimensions = 
}}
'''Hodges Stadium''' is a [[multi-purpose stadium]] at the [[University of North Florida]] (UNF), and the home field for the [[North Florida Ospreys]] [[soccer]], [[track and field]], and [[cross country running|cross country]] teams. It is located on the university's campus in [[Jacksonville, Florida]], U.S. It is named for George and Kernan Hodges, who donated $2 million to upgrade the facility in 2006.<ref name=Hodges>{{cite news |title= Ospreys receive major donation |first= Jason|last= Schneider|newspaper= [[The Florida Times-Union]]|date= October 10, 2006|url= http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/101006/col_5515372.shtml|access-date=November 8, 2010}}</ref>

In addition to its use by UNF the stadium has become a center for [[rugby league]] football, serving as home field for the [[Jacksonville Axemen]] of the [[USA Rugby League]] (USARL), and hosting several international matches and [[training camp]]s.<ref name=UNFrugby>{{cite news |title= UNF rugby support has worldwide draw|first= Matt|last= Coleman|newspaper= [[The Florida Times-Union]]|date= November 13, 2009|url= http://jacksonville.com/sports/2009-11-13/story/unf_rugby_support_has_worldwide_draw|access-date=November 8, 2010}}</ref>  [[Sporting Club Jacksonville]], a [[USL Super League]] (USLS) expansion team, begins play at the stadium in the [[2025–26 USL Super League season|2025–26 season]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sporting JAX to compete in the 2025/26 USL Super League season; announces landmark partnership with the University of North Florida |url=https://www.sportingjax.com/news/2024/12/03/super-league-kickoff-announced/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Sporting JAX |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
The University of North Florida's field was first opened in 2004 in order to serve the [[North Florida Ospreys]] men's and women's [[soccer]], [[cross country running]], and [[track and field]] teams.<ref name=unfospresys>{{cite web |url= http://www.unfospreys.com/sports/2008/9/19/HodgesStadium.aspx|title= UNF Athletics Facilities: Hodges Stadium|work= University of North Florida Ospreys |publisher= unfospreys.com|access-date=December 13, 2010}}</ref> In 2006 Jacksonville philanthropists George and Kernan Hodges issued a $2 million donation to UNF to improve the facility. The donation funded the construction of seats for 10,000, an eight-lane [[400 metres|400-meter]] track, a [[press box]], lighting, and classrooms and offices. The nameless field was renamed Hodges Stadium after them.<ref name=Hodges/> Other additions included the Browning Athletic Training and Education Center and a strength and conditioning center.<ref name=track>{{cite news |title= State-of-the-art track has UNF running with fast crowd|first= Francine|last= King|newspaper= [[The Florida Times-Union]]|date= October 10, 2006|url= http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/082108/spu_320965908.shtml |access-date=November 8, 2010}}</ref>

In 2008 the stadium underwent another renovation to install a new state-of-the art [[running track]]. The university spent another $3 million to complete the 9-lane [[Olympic Games|Olympic]]-quality track. It was designed by the Italian company Mondo and was the third facility in the world to feature the company's Mondotrack SX rubber surface.<ref name=track/> It was built to meet [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) and [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF) standards, and is one of only seven facilities in the U.S. to be certified by the IAAF.<ref name=unfospresys/><ref name=track/>

== Amenities ==
The 12,000-capacity stadium opened in 2004 with a capacity of 9,400 and underwent renovations in 2006 and 2008 that installed additional seating, a [[press box]], and a 9-lane [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] quality [[running track]]. The facility additionally includes classrooms, offices, and the Browning Athletic Training and Education Center. Following the completion of the current track, it became one of seven facilities in the U.S. certified by the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF), allowing it to host all NCAA and IAAF events within its grounds.

==Notable events==
The stadium has held several international [[rugby league|rugby league football]] matches and has hosted [[training camps]] for international teams. Academy Award-winning actor [[Russell Crowe]] visited UNF to organize for a club rugby league match to be played at Hodges Stadium. Crowe's [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] played against the [[Leeds Rhinos]] on January 26, 2008, with 12,500 people in attendance.<ref name="Aus day challenge" /> In 2009, the Leeds Rhinos returned to UNF to play the [[Salford Red Devils|Salford City Reds]] in an exhibition game.<ref name="2008 exhibition" />

*February 2005 - Practice for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] before [[Super Bowl XXXIX]].
*April 2009 - UNF Rugby Football Club hosted their annual Alumni Game for the first time in the stadium.
*2009 [[Atlantic Sun Conference]] Track and Field Championships <ref>{{cite web |url=http://unfospreys.com/news/2009/5/16/MTRK_0516091736.aspx |title=University of North Florida Athletics - UNF women, Pearce finish strong <br>at Atlantic Sun Championships |website=unfospreys.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717181415/http://unfospreys.com/news/2009/5/16/MTRK_0516091736.aspx |archive-date=2011-07-17}}</ref>
*December 19, 2009 - North America Bowl between [[Jacksonville Knights]] and [[Rugby union in Canada|Team Canada]] a traveling all-star team.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jacksonvilleknights.org/index_files/Page343.htm |title=Home |access-date=2009-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209023229/http://www.jacksonvilleknights.org/index_files/Page343.htm |archive-date=2009-12-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*July 23–26, 2015 - Hosted the [[USA Track & Field|USATF]] Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
*July 27–August 2, 2015 - Hosted the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships.

==Rugby League Matches==
{|class="wikitable"
! Date
! Home
! Final score
! Away
! Competition
! Attendance
! Ref.
|-
| 26 January 2008
|{{league icon|South Sydney|16}} [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]]
| 24 – 26
|{{league icon|leeds|16}} [[Leeds Rhinos]]
|Australia Day Challenge
|12,500
|<ref name="Aus day challenge">{{cite web |title=THROWBACK: 2008 Australia Day Challenge |url=https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2016/01/26/throwback-2008-australia-day-challenge/ |website=Rabbitohs |date=25 January 2016 |access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 18 January 2009
|{{league icon|leeds|16}} [[Leeds Rhinos]]
| 12 – 10
|{{leagueicon|Salford City|16}} [[Salford Red Devils]]
|Exhibition
|
|<ref name="2008 exhibition">{{cite web |title=McClennan proud as depleted Rhinos beat Reds in Florida |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jan/18/leedsrhinos-rugbyleague |website=The Guardian |date=18 January 2009 |access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 14 November 2009
|{{rl|USA}}
| 37 – 22
|{{rl|JAM}}
|[[2009 Atlantic Cup]]
|3,500
|<ref name="Match List">{{cite web |title=Hodges Stadium |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/venues/hodges-stadium/results.html |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 16 November 2010
|{{rl|USA}}
| 36 – 26
|{{rl|JAM}}
|[[2010 Atlantic Cup]]
|500
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 18 November 2010
|{{Rl|JAM}}
| 32 – 12
|{{Rl|CAN}}
|[[2010 Atlantic Cup]]
|2,500
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 20 November 2010
|{{rl|USA}}
| 46 – 12
|{{Rl|CAN}}
|[[2010 Atlantic Cup]]
|2,800
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 4 December 2015
|{{rl|USA}}
| 20 – 14
|{{Rl|JAM}}
|[[2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Americas|2017 RLWC qualifying]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 12 December 2015
|{{rl|USA}}
| 34 – 24
|{{rl|CAN}}
|[[2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Americas|2017 RLWC qualifying]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 22 July 2017
|{{rl|USA}}
| 48 – 6
|{{Rl|JAM}}
|[[2017 Americas Rugby League Championship]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 13 November 2018
|{{rl|JAM}}
| 38 – 8
|{{rl|CAN}}
|[[2018 Americas Rugby League Championship]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 13 November 2018
|{{rl|USA}}
| 62 – 0
|{{rl|Chile}}
|[[2018 Americas Rugby League Championship]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 17 November 2018
|{{rl|CAN}}
| 62 – 12
|{{rl|Chile}}
|[[2018 Americas Rugby League Championship]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 13 November 2018
|{{rl|USA}}
| 10 – 16
|{{rl|JAM}}
|[[2018 Americas Rugby League Championship]]
|
|<ref name="Match List" />
|-
| 16 November 2019
|{{rl|USA}}
| 16 – 38
|{{rl|Cook Islands}}
|[[2021 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Repechage|2021 RLWC Repechage]]
|150
|<ref name="Match List" />
|}

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=6| USA Tomahawks Record at the Hodges Stadium
|-
! Competition
! Played
! Won
! Drawn
! Lost
! % Won
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Americas Rugby League Championship]] || 3 || 2 || 0 || 1 || {{#expr:2/3*100 round 2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Colonial Cup (rugby league)|Colonial Cup]] || 3 || 3 || 0 || 0 || {{#expr:3/3*100 round 2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| RLWC Qualifying || 3 || 2 || 0 || 1 || {{#expr:2/3*100 round 2}}%
|-
! Total || 9 || 7 || 0 || 2 || {{#expr:7/9*100 round 2}}%
|}
''Updated 24 April 2021''

==External links==
* [http://unfospreys.com/sports/2008/9/19/HodgesStadium.aspx? Official Website]

{{coord|30|16|30.97|N|81|30|42.12|W|type:landmark|display=title}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{University of North Florida}}
{{Atlantic Sun Conference soccer venue navbox}}{{USL Super League venues}}{{North American Soccer League stadiums}}
{{Jacksonville attractions}}

[[Category:Soccer venues in Florida]]
[[Category:University of North Florida]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Rugby league stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Rugby league in Florida]]
[[Category:Southside, Jacksonville]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2004]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) stadiums]]
[[Category:College soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:College track and field venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Athletics (track and field) venues in Florida]]
[[Category:National Premier Soccer League stadiums]]
[[Category:Sporting Club Jacksonville]]