A record crowd of 19,850 watched the Leathernecks defeat Central Michigan, October 20, 1973. From 1996 through 2004, Hanson Field was the
training camp home of the
National Football League's St. Louis Rams.
Highest-Scoring GameOn September 11, 2004, Western Illinois defeated Division II Cheyney State 98–7.
Renovations In 2001, the main entrance of the stadium was renovated by adding an iron gate, brick pillars and an arch displaying the words, Hanson Field. The stadium's east side received a $5 million face lift prior to the 2007 season. The renovation to the student seating section, funded largely by a facilities enhancement and life safety fee at the request of student leaders, included new bleachers, increased
seating capacity, a new entrance, restrooms and concession stands. In 2011, Matrix Turf was installed on the field.
Colts Drum and Bugle Corp Summer Camp Hanson field of WIU has been home to the
Colts' summer training camp for a number of years. The nine-time
Drum Corps International (DCI) World Class Finalist, from Dubuque, IA are a group of 160 high school- and college-aged musicians, plus 40 staff members and support team members. They train, work and live on the WIU campus for three weeks. Members live in the residence halls and practice at Hanson Field. ==See also==