The UGA football field at Sanford Stadium will be named after legendary coach Vince Dooley, University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead and J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Greg McGarity announced on Thursday.
UGA will create a proposal to name the field, which will “require formal approval by the University of Georgia as well as the University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents.”
Vince Dooley led the Georgia Bulldogs as head coach from 1963 to 1989. He also served as the Director of Athletics from 1979 to 2004.
“Coach Dooley’s many contributions to this university can be seen across campus,” said Morehead, “from Georgia athletics, where he achieved unrivaled success, to the learning environment, where today many academic programs and initiatives bear his name, such as the Dooley Library Endowment Fund to the Dooley Professorship in Horticulture. The university community will continue to benefit from his service and dedication for generations to come.”
Under Dooley’s guidance, the Georgia Bulldogs amassed an overall record of 201-77-10 and a 104-42-4 record in SEC play. He led the Dawgs to the national championship in 1980 and also won six SEC Championships.
“I can think of no better way to open the 2019 home football schedule than dedicating Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium,” said McGarity. “The event will be a moment for the entire Bulldog Nation to collectively say ‘thank you’ to a man who has devoted much of his life to making the Georgia athletics program one of the strongest in the nation.”
If the naming of the field is approved, an official dedication of Dooley Field will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7 prior to Georgia’s 2019 home-opener against the Murray State Racers.
“I am pleased that we will have an opportunity to recognize Coach Dooley as we launch the next football season,” said Georgia Head Football Coach Kirby Smart. “We will use this exciting development to galvanize private support around our capital fundraising efforts to expand Butts-Mehre for our football program.”
UGA Football
Red and Black tie in exciting G-Day game
UGA Football
Red and Black tie in exciting G-Day game
