During
Homecoming/Family Weekend festivities at Wesleyan University Saturday, October
21, 2006, two athletic fields were dedicated with one receiving a name for
the first time and the other being renamed. North Field, located amidst
Wesleyan's arts center and adjacent to the Reid House, the college's
admissions office, was renamed Jackson Field in honor of Terry Jackson,
long-time head coach of men's soccer and lacrosse at Wesleyan who retired in
1999. Wesleyan's recently completed artificial turf field, located on
the southwest side of campus near the Freeman Athletic Center, was
formally named Smith Field in honor of the generosity of Warren "Renny" Smith '78, who
was a three-time varsity letterwinner in men's soccer during his years at
Wesleyan, and his wife, Tiina.
Terry, a 1960 graduate of Springfield College,
came to Wesleyan in 1968 and served as head men's soccer coach for 31 seasons
with a cumulative record of 209-163-39. He also handled the men's
lacrosse team as head coach from 1974 through 1996 with a 118-157 record
before serving as an assistant coach in that sport for three seasons before
retiring in 1999. He currently resides in Florida. Decorated with
numerous honors and awards during his years at Wesleyan, Terry was a
part-president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
and had a five-year stint as chairman of the NSCAA's All-American Committee.
He received the NSCAA's Honor Award in 1993. He also was part-president
of the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League (NEISL) and earned its honor
award as well. When he led the Cardinals to a 15-1-1 mark in 1991 and a
national top-10 ranking, Terry was named New England Division III Coach of the
Year.
Renny came to Wesleyan from Portland Ore. and majored in economics. He
was a fixture in the midfield for Coach Terry Jackson's soccer squad from
1975-77, and also lettered twice in track. After earning an MBA from
Dartmouth College, Renny began a successful career in the investment business
with Merrill Lynch and Thomas H. Lee & Co. In 2005 he co-founded GRS Partners, a
private equity firm based in New York City. He and Tiina live outside of
Boston with their three children.
The dedication of Smith Field took place prior to the field hockey game vs. Amherst while Jackson Field
was dedicated following the men's soccer game vs. Amherst.
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