Toppa renovation to be celebrated with ribbon-cutting ceremony

The recent renovations to Freedbody Stadium and Toppa Field will be officially celebrated Saturday, Sept. 9 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by President Jane Gerety, RSM and Newport Mayor Harry Winthrop.

The ceremony will begin at 11:45 a.m., just before the Salve Regina Seahawks host the Montclair State University Red Hawks in their first game at the upgraded field. Gates will open at 11 a.m. and admission is free for all attendees.

During the ceremony, Gerety and Winthrop will be joined by members of the Newport City Council, Newport School Committee and student-athlete representatives from Salve Regina and Rogers High School.

All Salve Regina students are invited to gather at Miley Hall at 10:45 a.m. for the Seahawk Walk, sponsored by Athletics and the offices of Residence Life and Student Activities. After picking up some Salve swag, students will walk the half-mile to Toppa for the game.

The $2.2 million renovation of Toppa Field included the installation of a synthetic turf playing surface and restoration of the concrete grandstands. The locker rooms, restrooms and press box also received a facelift.

The Seahawks played at Toppa for 16 seasons before moving to Gaudet Field in 2009. In addition to football, Salve Regina will use the field for field hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and intramural sports. Toppa will be utilized by Rogers for football and softball, and by the Newport Recreation Department for adult sports leagues.