Albany State University added another chapter to its rich athletic history with the opening of the Albany Municipal Coliseum in 2004. History was made again in February 2010 with the renaming of the facility to the Albany State University Coliseum.
Perhaps the finest football facility of schools in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and one of the best in Division II football, the ASU Coliseum seats 10,000 fans for Golden Rams football action. It has become a symbol of pride, tradition and excellence of the ASU Golden Rams.
The Golden Rams made their debut in the coliseum on Aug. 28, 2004, with a 17-13 victory over the Miles College Golden Bears.
The addition of an on-campus facility was a dream come true for Golden Rams administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni and football fans. After receiving $5 million in grants from the State of Georgia Department of Community Affairs, ASU support groups, including the Friends of Albany State University, community businessmen and leaders, and individual ASU supporters, went to work to raise funds necessary to complete the first stage of the stadium in time for the 2004 season opener. Albany State assumed full ownership of the stadium in 2008, after the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia assisted with stadium debt.
A facility designed to encompass the entire community, the stadium features a modern field house, which includes spacious locker and meeting rooms; chair-back prime seating in the QuarterBack Club reserved section, an exquisite QuarterBack Club lounge with comfortable seating and restrooms, and concession stands and restrooms on both sides of the field. The facility also features the Eula Lovett Hall, a 150-seat community room in the south end zone area. Fans who have visited the coliseum are impressed with the state-of-the-art video-scoreboard.
Future plans for the coliseum call for an expansion of the seating areas in the north end zone and comfortable luxury boxes, and the addition of a second level to the press box. Fund-raising efforts to expand the stadium are ongoing.
The ASU Coliseum has since been the site of numerous Golden Rams victories and was the host site of four NCAA Division II playoff games, including two in 2004, when the Golden Rams defeated Arkansas Tech in the second round. ASU hosted first-round games against Central Arkansas in 2005, and West Alabama in 2009.
Prior to moving into the coliseum in 2004, the Golden Rams played exciting football at the Hugh Mills Memorial Stadium for numerous years. The Mills Stadium was the site of some of the most exciting Golden Rams football action, including the Golden Rams’ first NCAA Division II playoff victory when the Rams defeated Southern Arkansas, 10-6.
The ASU Coliseum is a true indicator of Albany State’s progressive athletics program.
