Football
Seth Grove Stadium opened on September 9, 1972 with the inaugural game between Shippensburg and Bloomsburg. Behind three touchdowns from fullback Johnny Seigle, the Red Raiders defeated the Huskies, 28-14. Seigle scored the first touchdown in the history of the stadium on a 2-yard run in the first quarter.The stadium is named for the late J. Seth Grove, former faculty member and coach at Shippensburg.
Grove graduated from Shippensburg in 1910 where he starred in basketball and baseball. He joined the university faculty in 1920 and coached the football team to a 6-2 record. Grove became chairman of the mathematics department in 1921 and did not re-enter coaching until 1930 as head coach of the baseball team. He coached until 1935 and then became the athletic director, a position he held until 1946. Grove retired from teaching in 1952.
The stadium’s capacity of 7,700 has 6,700 seats in the main grandstand and 1,000 seats on the visitors’ side of the field. Originally it had a capacity of 7,600. From 1987-89, temporary bleachers were set up beyond the north end zone for football games and commencement, boosting the capacity to 8,200. In 1990, the 900-seat bleacher set on the visitors’ side was removed for safety reasons and the 600 temporary seats were moved from the end zone to the visitors’ side, giving the stadium a capacity of 7,300. In 1991, the new visitors’ bleachers were built, reaching the current capacity of 7,700. If necessary, temporary bleachers can be added to the end zone.
In 2004, the Red Raiders played seven home games and drew a school-record 36,578 fans, an average of 5,225 per game. The record average of 6,625 was set in four games in 1979 and the largest single-game attendance in school history was 9,200 fans, set on October 12, 1985 against Millersville. In 1991, Shippensburg was ranked 15th in the country among NCAA Division II schools for attendance, averaging 6,050 per game.
Homecoming has always been a gala affair at Seth Grove Stadium drawing standing room only crowds. Home team locker rooms, an equipment room, sports medicine areas, rest rooms, concession stands, offices and storage space are located underneath the home grandstand. The visiting teams dress in nearby Heiges Field House.
Track & Field
Seth Grove Stadium has been home to the Red Raider track and field teams since 1972. One of the finest track and field facilities in the East, the stadium features an eight-lane Recortan track. Located outside the stadium are two discus and
two shot put circles. The javelin runway also has a Recortan surface.
Shippensburg University most recently hosted the PSAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium in 2007 and regularly hosts the Paul Kaiser Classic each April from the facility.
Seth Grove is also the site of the PIAA state track and field championships. The largest crowd to ever attend an event at the stadium was 12,000 for the 1976 PIAA track and field championships. The total included the spectators at the throwing events area to the north of the main grandstand.
