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Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium
The facilities at the University of Tennessee are among the best in the nation, and Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium serves as yet another example of that fact. The eight-lane oval with a Rekortan surface, situated in the heart of campus, is named after the Knoxville business leader whose generosity paved the way for its early development. The stadium, meanwhile, was named after the LaPorte Family of Elizabethton, Tenn., and Houston, Texas, in November 2005 for the family’s generous contributions toward enhancing the overall ambience of the facility. The storied venue underwent major renovation in 1992 to improve its practicality and appearance. Those alterations, combined with a resurfacing project that took place in the fall of 2002, ensured that the Big Orange venue continued to rank among the country’s best. More renovations are in store this year, in anticipation of UT playing host to the 2010 SEC Outdoor Championships. Three primary changes were made to the facility in ’92: the moving of the start/finish line to the south side of the track to best utilize favorable wind conditions, the addition of 2,500 temporary bleachers, and the redesigning and resurfacing of several field event areas. In the spring of 2001, the impressive Thornton Athletics Student Life Center was added, enhancing the skyline on the southeast corner. In 2003, thanks to the LaPorte family, the property was altered in a positive manner once more in preparation for the Southeastern Conference Championships. A state-of-the-art Daktronics video timing board was installed on the east end, a concessions/storage building and bleacher seating were added to the south side, and cosmetic touches were made by paving areas adjacent to the track, remodeling the timing booth, replacing old fencing and utilizing decorative landscaping. Upgrades also include a new entry gate as well as brick columns and wrought iron fencing around the premises. Tom Black Track has been the site of several prestigious meets through the years, such as the 1993 and 2003 SEC Championships, the 1994 and 2005 USA Track & Field Youth National Championships, the 1994 USA Track & Field Championships, the 1995 NCAA Championships, the 2006 NCAA Mideast Regional and the 2002 and 2007 AAU Junior Olympics.
On an annual basis, the facility is home to a variety of dual and invitational events, as well as the Sea Ray Relays, which are sponsored by a local boat manufacturing company.
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  MBB Live Audio vs. ECU - 11/20 @ 3 p.m. ET MBB PPV Video vs. ECU ($8) - 11/20 @ 3:30 p.m. ET FB Live Game Audio - 11/21 @ 5:30 p.m. ET
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DIRECTIONS TO THE TOM BLACK TRACK AT LaPORTE STADIUM
