Joan C. Edwards Stadium is the on-campus home of Marshall Thundering Herd football in Huntington, West Virginia. Opened in 1991 with roughly 38,000 seats, it replaced the aging, condemned Fairfield Stadium and gave the program a modern facility that has grown alongside Marshall's rise to national relevance. The stadium's brick exterior and compact bowl create a loud, close-to-the-field environment on Herd game days. It remains deeply tied to the community's identity, carrying the emotional weight of Marshall football's history.
The stadium opened on September 7, 1991, with Marshall beating New Hampshire 24-23 in front of over 33,000 fans, and it has been the backdrop for the program's powerhouse Division I-AA and Mid-American Conference runs since. It was renamed in November 2003 for Joan C. Edwards, whose family's donations to the university topped $65 million; the playing surface itself had already been named for her husband, James F. Edwards, in 1993. The venue also represents the rebuilding of Marshall football after the 1970 plane crash that killed most of the team, coaching staff, and supporters, a tragedy the program has never forgotten. It is one of only two NCAA Division I stadiums named exclusively for a woman.
Source: RateGame editorial