Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium

SPORTS HOME: Men's & Women's Track and Field | Men's & Women's Soccer
Capacity: 9,400 | Built: 2004 | Resurfaced: 2021

Phase one of the 9,400-seat Hodges Stadium that the UNF soccer teams and track & field teams call home was opened in January 2004. Along with a lighted field and a 9 lane international track, the facility houses classrooms, the Browning Athletic Training and Education Center and serves as the primary home for many members of the UNF Athletics Department.

The stadium's field currently serves as a practice facility each December for one of the teams participating in the TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl. The stadium and field also served as the practice facility for the Philadelphia Eagles, who participated in the 2005 Super Bowl, and the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team prior to the 2014 World Cup.

The Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) committed $950,000 for the resurfacing of the competition and practice tracks at the facility, along with installation of fiber at Hodges Stadium for improved broadcasting capabilities. The resurfacing for the practice track located adjacent to Hodges Stadium and the fiber installation are both parts of a future construction phase set to begin in August 2021. In recognition of the TDC's contribution, the track will now be recognized as the Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium.

With the resurfacing of the Visit Jax Track completed, Hodges Stadium continues as a first-choice venue for hosting a variety of national and international track competitions. The Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium which has hosted the NCAA East First Round seven times (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019, 2021 and 2023), has served as host for the ASUN Conference Outdoor Track Championships since 2009. In addition, the stadium has served as the host site to Florida's high school state track & field championships multiple times along with the USATF Masters Championships, American Track League, the Bob Hayes Invitational and USATF Junior Olympics in the past decade.

It was renamed Hodges Stadium after a generous gift of $2 million from George and Kernan Hodges that was announced in October 2006. After the installation of seating in the existing stands, a completed press box and field/track lighting during 2007, the final phase of construction was completed in August 2008 with the installation of the 9 lane Olympic quality track with Mondotrack SX surface. The track has full markings for all NCAA and IAAF events, including the ability to run directional events in either direction on either straight. All field event areas are within the stadium, including 4 horizontal jump pits, 8 pole vault locations, and multiple areas for each throwing event. To round out the package, the facility includes a full 400m, 3 lane warm-up track and brand new IAAF certified equipment provided by UCS.

The facility joined an exclusive club when it became one of 7 facilities in the U.S. to receive IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) certification in December of 2008. It is currently certified as a Class II facility though it is built to Class I standards.

Hodges Stadium Track & Field facility is closed to all use unless reserved in advance. Please contact the UNF track & field office at (904) 620-2559 for more information.

The recreational (3 lane) track adjacent to Hodges Stadium is open for fitness use and is also available to groups through campus recreation at (904) 620-2998.