Home of the Panthers
In the Spring of 1907, Dr. George Rice Hovey (VUU's 2 nd President) purchased 11 acres of land east of Lombardy Street for athletic fields. A former athlete himself, Dr. Hovey laid the foundations for VUU's Athletic Program.
He purchased, for $8,483.55, an 11-acre tract of land on the opposite side of Lombardy Street from the main campus. Part of this was transformed into the main athletic field. Because of Dr. Hovey's interest in and commitment to athletics, the land purchased in 1907 eventually became known as Hovey Field.
The first football game that was ever played on Hovey Field took place in October 30, 1909 between Virginia Union University and Virginia State University . The two teams battled to a scoreless tie.
Originally existing simply as a field with a fence surrounding it, bleachers were installed in the 1920's. Eventually lights were installed, and the first night game took place during the 1949 season.
Over the years, Hovey Field has seen VUU evolve into a perennial football power. The Panthers have captured 1 National Championship, 11 CIAA Championships and have participated in the NCAA post-season playoffs on 7 occasions. In addition, the Panthers have finished the regular season undefeated six times in their history.
About Dr. George Rice Hovey, VUU's Second President…
Dr. George Rice Hovey was born in Newton Centre, Massachusetts on January 17, 1860. He graduated from Brown University in 1882, studied at the Newton Theological Institute, and did further post-graduate work at Temple University and Brown. While at Brown, Hovey excelled academically and athletically. He arrived in Richmond , VA in 1887. In 1905, after working at the Richmond Theological Seminary and Wayland Seminary and College in Washington , D.C. , Hovey became the second president of Virginia Union University , an African-American school supported by the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Under Hovey's direction, W.E.B. DuBois classified Virginia Union as a First Grade Colored College . Dr. Hovey and the University made repeated funding requests to the General Education Board, but were turned down due to Hovey's insistence on a traditional arts and sciences college program rather than an industrial one. Hovey left the presidency of Virginia Union in 1919 and worked for the American Baptist Home Missionary Society and the National Minister's Institute until his death on January 28, 1943.
