SCHEDULE

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STATISTICS

FACILITIES

Ornelas Stadium

Ornelas Stadium provides ETBU with one of the top game-day facilities in all of NCAA Division III football. Opened just in time for ETBU's return to intercollegiate football in 2000, Ornelas Stadium stands as one of the shining landmarks on the north end of the ETBU campus.

The Ornelas family of Tyler provided the gift which made the stadium possible. The facility was constructed with lightning speed beginning soon after ETBU announced late in 1998 it was bringing back its football program following a 50-year absence in time for the 2000 season. Beginning in December of 1999, the stadium was literally carved out of the East Texas earth, surrounded by the area's trademark pine trees. As part of the stadium's unique features, the field is surrounded by a bowl-shaped design that includes a raised grandstand above ground level. On both sides of the grandstand are to sloped hillsides that accomodate fans in lawn chairs, blankets, etc., for a comfortable, relaxing game-day experience.

The Tigers enter the field from the east side of Carlile-Howell Field House, with a path to the field winding through fans and students gathered in the south end zone. Students gather on game day in the south end zone and also take advantage of grassy areas to be as close to the field as possible, putting the crowd up close to the action and further enhancing the college football atmosphere.

At full capacity, Ornelas Stadium has a listed capacity of 3,000, with a seating capacity of just over 2,000 in the grandstand bleachers. There are 22 seats designated for handicapped seating, and a section of 278 railback seats sits just below the two-story press box with a great view from the 50-yard line. With standing room only and general admission access to the hillsides and end zone areas, the Tigers can play in front of well over 3,000 fans.

Lights were added to the facility for the 2009 season, providing the opportunity for ETBU to play its home games at night as well as conduct night practices to give the players optimum class time during the day.

Future plans for the stadium include the construction of a visitor's side grandstand, which would also include concession stands, storage areas, etc.

Carlile-Howell Field House/Football Complex

Carlile-Howell Hall once served as home for ETBU's physical facilities and public relations department. It is now provides a first-class home for Tiger football, as Carlile-Howell Field House.

ETBU's football program moved into the renovated facility in August of 2000, just weeks before the team's official return to the field after a 50-year absence. As part of the project that included the construction of Ornelas Stadium, the former Carlile-Howell Hall was renovated to become ETBU's football fieldhouse. The facility includes offices, a meeting/conference area for coaches, two locker rooms, an equipment room, a training room and a weight room.

The renovation of the fieldhouse took first priority over the construction of Ornelas Stadium, actually, during plans for both to be ready in time for the 2000 football season. Both projects were done simultaneously, but Ornelas Stadium wasn't quite ready for football until a month into the Tigers' first season. But the team did have a place to dress, meet and plan workouts because the fieldhouse and practice facility were finished a few weeks before the first ETBU football team in 50 years arrived on campus.

The result of the fieldhouse project includes a large foyer area which serves as a welcoming place for Tiger fans. There are two large offices for assistant coaches -- one for offense, one for defense -- as well as an office for the program's recruiting coordinator. The defensive coordinator also has a private office.

The main football office is located just inside the front door of the facility, and it is connected to a head coach's office/suite. The front office also includes a kitchen area as well as a work/copy space. The coaches also have a private locker room in the facility as well.

Tiger coaches conduct game-planning sessions and meetings inside a large conference room just off the main foyer. On the other side of the foyer is a weight room that has undergone a major renovation the last two years, with new equipment and a sound system installed. The Tigers dress in a large locker room facility on the east side of the building, while visitors have a separate dressing room on the west side.

ETBU's athletic training department has a large training room just inside the west entrance to the building, which includes an office for the athletic trainer. Down the hall from the training room is a game-day dressing room for officials.

The north end of the building contains a large equipment/storage room, which also includes washer and dryer units. The facility has convenient access to both the stadium and practice fields, which are located behind the building. The practice fields are located to the east of Ornelas Stadium, sandwiched between the stadium and a man-made lake that was also part of the construction project.