Rawlinson Stadium Debuts as the New Home of USC Women’s Soccer and Lacrosse
The state-of-the-art soccer and lacrosse facility officially opened its doors on August 17, marking a new era for the two athletic programs
Sammie Yen
8/22/2025
Just days before the start of the fall semester, the USC women’s soccer and lacrosse teams celebrated a historic beginning with the grand opening of Rawlinson Stadium.
Spanning 23,000 square feet at the corner of 30th and Hoover, Rawlinson Stadium is the brand new home for two of USC’s most exceptional women’s athletic programs. Since the opening of Galen Center in 2006, USC’s commitment to supporting its athletic programs has been evident with the construction of Merle Norman Stadium (2013), the Uytengsu Aquatics Center (2014), as well as major renovations to the David X. Marks Tennis Stadium (2016) and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2019).
The addition of Rawlinson Stadium reaffirms the department’s endeavor to provide a world-class experience for its student-athletes. Completed in 16 months, the venue truly represents a bold investment in the future of women’s sports at USC.
“Today is a dream come true,” USC Director of Athletics Jen Cohen said, addressing a cardinal-and-gold crowd of family, friends and fans gathered outside the gates. “This is the best facility for college soccer and college lacrosse in the country.”
With a capacity of 2,500 — more than twice that of Soni McAlister Field, the teams’ previous home, Rawlinson Stadium was designed with the student-athlete and fan experience in mind. The facility includes customized locker rooms, an expansive video board, advanced broadcast and analytics infrastructure, and the Chad Peets Family Deck, an open-air viewing area at the east endline of the field that brings fans closer to the action.
For USC women’s lacrosse head coach Lindsey Munday, the opening was about more than new amenities.
“USC is known as the PLACE TO BE for student-athletes to reach their full potential. We know that this is more than a building,” Munday said. “It’s a place to make memories, build legacies and inspire the future. Our athletes will make memories fighting on and with one another. The stadium provides a place where our athletes can score goals, win games and dream big — a place where young girls can come and hope to be in a Trojan jersey one day.”
“Just as USC is the PLACE TO BE , Rawlinson Stadium is our PLACE TO BE,” Munday continued.
USC women’s soccer head coach Jane Alukonis shared similar gratitude as her team prepared to take the field for its home opener.
“What a bold and amazing testament to women’s sports,” said Alukonis. “We will go out there tonight — and in all games moving forward — and make you proud by showcasing the Trojan fighting spirit.”
Both programs carry rich histories that now have a new home to match their achievements and ambitions. USC women’s lacrosse has captured five conference titles, while USC women’s soccer has claimed two NCAA national championships (2007 and 2016).
For the athletes, the stadium is a statement as much as it is a home field.
“Playing in a stadium built for women’s athletics means more for me than I can put into words,” said Jaiden Anderson, a junior forward on the women’s soccer team. “It’s a visible commitment to our values, our potential and our future.”
“This stadium speaks volumes about the importance of women’s athletics at USC,” Anderson continued. “It says we belong, we matter and we deserve facilities that match our talent and ambition. It sets the standard of how women’s sports should be supported and celebrated — not just here but everywhere.”
As the Trojan Family gathered in full force to celebrate the occasion, Interim-President Beong-Soo Kim, AD Jen Cohen, and members of the Rawlins, Rawlinson and Robinson families joined together for the ribbon cutting, officially opening the doors to USC’s newest athletics venue.
“I wanted to thank the construction company, the workers, the architects, and all the people in and outside of USC who completed this project in record time,” President Kim said. “Thank you to everyone who made it happen!”
As the ribbon fell, the Trojan Marching Band struck up Fight On! As the fight song echoed through the stadium, it added a familiar soundtrack to its historic debut. The capacity crowd of 2,500 fans maintained the excitement throughout the evening to the final buzzer.
As the sun set on Los Angeles and the stadium lights illuminated the field for the first time, the fifth-ranked USC women’s soccer team delivered a commanding 4-0 shutout victory over Cal Baptist in its home opener.
“The energy at Rawlinson was unreal,” said senior lacrosse midfielder Kate Gerrity. “Today really showed how ready people are to show up for women’s sports. With soccer and lacrosse sharing this stadium, the momentum will carry year round. Being right off campus, we’ll see more energy and support at our games this year than we ever have before.”
