UF is constructing a lacrosse stadium for the new women's lacrosse team that should be finished by July 2009.
The stadium, which cost almost $14 million, is on Hull Road across from the Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium.
The lacrosse stadium is solely funded by UF's University Athletic Association, or UAA, and will consist of about 1,400 seats and concession stands.
Bahar Armaghani, project manager for the stadium, said construction is running on time.
The stadium will also serve as a practice field for the UF soccer team.
A contract between the UAA and UF states that the land the soccer team uses for a practice field is needed for an intramural sports field, Associate Athletic Director Chip Howard said.
He added that the soccer team would continue to play in their stadium because it holds more people.
Soccer games average about 4,000 people a game.
The stadium will be equipped with locker rooms, concessions, additional parking and a sidewalk.
When construction is done, Hull Road will have a sidewalk on both sides of the street.
The construction will adhere to UF's environmentally friendly efforts. Trees that were originally in the area are being replanted or replaced by new trees elsewhere.
The land previously belonged to the Institute for Food and Agricultural Science.
While construction continues, the UAA has signed three coaches and 24 players for the team.
The coaches are head coach Amanda O'Leary and assistant coaches Jennifer Ulehla and Erica LaGrow.
LaGrow was recently invited to be part of the U.S. Lacrosse World Cup Training Team.
When the stadium is complete, the UF lacrosse team will begin practice in June 2009 and compete in Division I of the NCAA in spring 2010.
"To add a women's sport was a fundamental choice to add a great program and to give women a better chance to play," Howard said.
