No more daily bus rides. No more practices and “home” games miles from campus. After 11 years, BU’s nationally ranked women’s field hockey team is coming back to campus. Thanks to the construction of a 110,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art playing field.

The $24 million New Balance Field effectively doubles BU’s field capacity, making it possible also to add more varsity sports, notably a men’s lacrosse team. The new, open-air venue offers stadium seating for 500.

“This is huge,” says women’s field hockey coach Sally Starr, who has had to recruit players for a team with no home base. “Now, we have one of the best fields in the conference. It will help our recruiting greatly.”