Stambaugh Stadium

Youngstown State University's home ground is known locally as The Ice Castle. The winds coming off the lake and through the open stands are what give the place its character, and the fans have carried the nickname for decades.

There is a certain order to the seating. It is not random. The design dates back to when the east stand was extended in 1997, adding those extra bleacher seats that pushed the capacity over the 20,000 mark. The original concrete structure remains, but the colours on the seats have shifted with every renovation.

Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium opened in 1982. That surface has changed several times since the original grass was laid, most recently replaced with artificial turf in the summer of 2020. The change was made to withstand the wear and tear of the long, cold seasons that define the local game.

Outside the fence, there are three small evergreen trees planted in a row near the entrance. They are neat, kept in line, and offer little shelter from the weather. A McDonald's sign is visible nearby, marking the edge of the campus where the university meets the city. The stadium is not built to impress visitors with its size, but to hold the people who have come to watch the Penguins play. The atmosphere is not loud by choice; it is forced by the elements. The stands are steep, and the seats are close together, which keeps the noise contained within the structure rather than letting it drift away.