QU Stadium is a stadium in Quincy, Illinois originally known as Q Stadium.[1] It is primarily used for baseball, but also has a separate football field.[2] The baseball side of QU Stadium holds 2,000 people and the football/lacrosse side of holds 1,600 people.[citation needed] The football side of the stadium (located beyond the right and right center field fence of the baseball field) only has bleachers on one side of the field.[3] The stadium is surrounded by its original limestone wall built in 1938.
History
The stadium was built in 1938 as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA)[2] and originally owned by the City of Quincy. It is constructed of large limestone blocks and concrete. A "sister" facility of limestone and concrete was built near Quincy High School (which was then located at 13th & Maine). This sister facility was the practice field for Quincy High School athletic teams until a new high school was built at 30th & Maine. At that time, the building at 13th & Maine became Quincy Junior High School and the athletic fields continued to be used by QJHS athletic teams.
In 1984, the city sold the stadium to Quincy College (later Quincy University), a local liberal-arts 4-year Roman Catholic college affiliated with the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans). The name of the stadium was changed to QC stadium and then to QU stadium, after Quincy College changed its name to Quincy University.[1]
In 2014 a major renovation to the facility began including new turf for the football field and for the baseball infield.[4]
In 2019 the university added Men's and Women's Lacrosse as its 18th and 19th varsity sports, both calling QU Stadium home.[5]
In 2021 it was announced that sprint football, a variant of American football played under standard college rules but with a player weight limit of 178 lb (80.7 kg), would be launched and played at QU Stadium. QU is one of six charter members of the Midwest Sprint Football League.[6]
The stadium was originally used for football by Quincy Senior High School and Quincy Notre Dame High School as their home football field until a new stadium was completed in 1980 (Flinn Stadium). Both schools, as well as Quincy College (later Quincy University), used the baseball side of the stadium for football.[3]
After both high schools quit using the stadium for football, the Quincy YMCA Tackle Football League began using the football side for the 7th & 8th grade league. The YMCA also used the field for two youth flag football leagues – a 2nd through 4th grade league, and a 5th & 6th grade league. The Quincy Family YMCA completed a field on its property, so the tackle football and flag football leagues moved to that field in 1984.
In 1987, then Quincy College re-instated its football program after an over 30-year hiatus. The Hawks began using the football side of QC Stadium competing in NCAA Division III. The Hawks moved up to NCAA Division II during the 1990s. In 2010, the football team moved to Flinn Stadium, but moved back to QU Stadium in 2014 after a major renovation.[3]
