Cadet Memorial Field

Cadet Memorial Field is an outdoor athletic facility on the campus of the United States Coast Guard Academy, on the banks of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut. The stadium hosts the Academy's football and lacrosse teams, and, owing to the dramatic view of the river, is regarded as one of the most picturesque venues in New England small college football. The Academy competes in NCAA Division III.The stadium was originally named Jones Field, in honor of Cadet Henry L. Jones, the first Coast Guard cadet to die on active duty. The facility now honors all those who have died during their time as cadets.The stadium has hosted its share of prominent individuals, including NFL hall-of-famer Otto Graham, who prowled the sidelines as head coach of the football team for seven seasons, from 1959 to 1966. During this time, the stadium hosted one undefeated squad in 1963, which represented the only undefeated, untied regular season in Academy history.The facility also alternates (with Captain Tomb Field in Kings Point, New York) as site of the annual Secretaries Cup game between the Coast Guard Academy and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (known until the Coast Guard's move to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 as the "Secretary's Cup" game).In 2004, thanks in part to a generous donation from the CGA class of '53, the Academy installed a state-of-the-art FieldTurf surface at the stadium.