Eakes Athletics Complex

About Eakes Athletics Complex

In 34 seasons since the Campbell University soccer stadium opened, spectators have witnessed some of the highest moments in Fighting Camel soccer history and observed the skills of many of the top stars in college play at the facility.

Located on the north border of the Buies Creek campus within the Marion and Mary Eakes Athletics Complex, the stadium was dedicated in 1986. Since then, many improvements have been made within the complex, most notably the construction of a 586- seat grand stand in 2019 and the McLeod Athletic Training Facility during the summer of 2004. In 2021, the facility played host to the first and second rounds of the NCAA Women's College Cup.

Named in honor of long-time university benefactors, Bernard and Virginia McLeod of Fuquay-Varina,the McLeod Athletic Training Facility serves as home for Campbell's nationally-accredited sports medicine program, as well as providing locker room space for the varsity men's and women's soccer and softball teams.

Opened in August 2004, the facility includes a 2,000 square-foot athletic training room, the primary space for Campbell's sports medicine operation. It also contains three locker rooms, a conference room, offices for the athletic training staff, and the men's and women's soccer and softball staff.

Situated in the Marion and Mary Eakes Athletics Complex, the McLeod Facility frames one end of the Campbell soccer stadium. Public restroom facilities for home soccer and softball games are also located on the north side of the red brick structure.

Lights were added at the stadium prior to the 1994 season to allow for play after dark. A new scoreboard was erected at the southwest end of the field prior to the 2002 campaign. A new Campbell soccer windscreen, complete with logos and graphics, was added in 2008, while a brick and wrought iron fence was erected in 2009.

The permanent bench area and press box was added in the summer of 2016. The brick facade houses permanent benches for each team as well as a multi-use storage closet. The new pressbox houses seating for game operations, statistics, music, media and broadcasting. The upper level features the best view of the Eakes Athletics Complex ever seen in the facility's three decades of operation. Also housed on that level is a video platform used for television and internet broadcasting as well as team video use.

Also installed in 2016 were a brand new sound system and lighting system. In the summer of 2018, a new high-definition video board was installed at the Southwest Corner of the stadium.

In the summer of 2019, the new grandstand, which includes 300 chair back seats and bleacher back seating for an addition 286 and stretches between the 18-yard boxes, was completed. The next phase of improvements includes a cover for the grandstand. Overflow seating is available on an 18-foot grassy bank outside the grand stand. The bermuda grass field measures 75x120.

In addition to the soccer stadium, two soccer practice fields, the Campbell softball field and the James Nisbet Tennis Center are located at the Eakes Complex.

In 2019, the men's team established its best-ever record at the facility, sporting a 10-0-1 record including a victory in the Big South Championship final and a draw against nationally-ranked North Carolina.

In 34 seasons at the stadium, Campbell's men own a 184-111-14 record (.618) on their home field.

Campbell's men knocked off two nationally-ranked teams in 1988 when the Fighting Camels posted an 8-0 regular season record at the Stadium. Third-ranked North Carolina and 10th-ranked Duke fell victim that year to the Fighting Camels in Buies Creek.

The Campbell men notched an 8-1-0 record at home in 2006, when the Camels again led the Atlantic Sun with an average attendance of 639. CU twice set Eakes Complex attendance records in a 1-0 victory over third-ranked North Carolina (1481) and a 4-0 triumph over Lipscomb on Homecoming (1857). CU led the A-Sun in men's soccer home attendance during 2005 and 2006 seasons.

The Camels again led the A-Sun in home attendance (479) in 2008, including a yearly-high 1187 spectators, who witnessed CU's third straight victory over (7th-ranked) North Carolina. Campbell hosted the 2008 and 2009 A-Sun Championship tournaments after winning the regular season title each year.

In 2011, Campbell drew with nationally-ranked Furman in the season opener at the Eakes Complex and knocked off ACC member NC State 1-0 in extra time on Oct. 4. In 2012, the Camels finished 7-1-1 at the site with the only loss coming to 12th-ranked Coastal Carolina. Along the way, the Camels defeated No.-25 High Point and ACC member Virginia Tech in Buies Creek.

The 2019 Camels won the Big South regular season and tournament titles in the same year for the first time since 1985. A boisterous crowd of 726 witnessed the Camels build a 4-goal lead over High Point in the first half hour of the Big South final and cruise to a 4-1 victory to secure a second-straight NCAA College Cup berth.

Since the women's program began in the 1992 season, the Lady Camels have fashioned a 136-89-19 record (.596) at the facility, including an 8-0-2 mark in 2004 when CU won the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season and tournament championships. CU's women matched their most victories at the facility with an 8-1-1 mark in 2019.

Campbell has hosted two Big South Conference men's tournament semifinal and final rounds (1986, 1988, 2019) at the stadium.

In addition to the 2008 and 2009 A-Sun men's championship, CU also hosted the 2000 Atlantic Sun Conference men's soccer tournament at the facility. The 1995, 2002 and 2004 A-Sun Women's Soccer tournaments were also held at the site. In 2004, Campbell set an Atlantic Sun Women's Soccer Championship attendance record for the semifinal and final rounds at the site en route to its first A-Sun title.