ГМК торжественно открыл после реконструкции историческое поле Дэвенпорт Филд

GMC to celebrate grand reopening of historic Davenport Field Published 7:00 am Friday, August 14, 2026 Davenport Field, one of Georgia’s oldest playing fields, is entering a new era with renovations that include new turf, lighting and a video board. For nearly 146 years, the historic field has been a fixture at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville. The Boston Braves traveled from Macon to play spring training games on the field. Baseball legend Ty Cobb played there in 1913. Now home to GMC athletics, Davenport Field has received several major upgrades. “Basically, the field has three upgrades,” said Rob Manchester, head football coach at GMC. “There is all-new lighting, a huge new video board and finally the turf.” The new turf includes fresh field markings and bright red end zones highlighting GMC. New goal posts and freshly paved entrances have also been added to the field. The renovations will allow the field to serve more of GMC’s athletic programs and community members, including youth programs. “Everybody that touches it — and it’s really K-12, the whole prep school and us at the junior college, it just has so many benefits,” Manchester said. “Our grounds crew has always done a great job with the natural turf out there. Now we have Junior Pro, third through fifth graders, playing out there.” The field will also provide GMC with another option for practices when rain makes other fields unusable. “When it rains and the fields are bad, we can go up there and practice,” Manchester said. “Both soccer programs can practice on it. It’s going to be able to have lots of uses, and that’s a good thing.” Manchester said the renovations will benefit more than just GMC’s athletic programs. “I think it’s just aesthetically pleasing; it makes the whole campus pop,” Manchester said. “I think it ties everything together, from the turf we went with that is supposed to be safer and prevent injuries.” The idea for the renovations began to unfold last fall, when GMC leadership decided it was time to improve the historic field. Manchester, GMC President Maj. Gen. Terrance McKenrick and GMC Prep Athletic Director Rusty Courson worked together to move the project forward. “The fall of last year was when it was decided that we’re going to do this,” Manchester said. “The entire administration planted the seed with Gen. Caldwell and decided to go forward with this.” Gen. William Caldwell, GMC’s 21st president, announced his retirement after 11 years leading the college and is now President Emeritus of GMC. McKenrick succeeded Caldwell as president and helped move the renovation project forward. “We are very blessed to have a great administration here for them to put the investment into the field and how it will impact way more than the junior college,” said Manchester. Construction began in March, and the renovated field will officially open with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. This marks completion of the first phase of the $1.9 million renovation. “We broke ground in the beginning of March, and they’re about ready to turn the keys over,” Manchester said. “They’re putting the finishing touches on it, and we’re really excited.” The all-new playing field will see its first football game on Aug. 15 as the GMC Prep Junior Pro program will host a jamboree against Gatewood and Piedmont Academy. GMC junior college will play its first home game on Aug. 29 when they take on Trinity Valley Community College at 1 p.m.