“This new turf field is a game-changer,” said Thomas. “It’s designed to accommodate soccer as well as men’s and women’s lacrosse. The previous grass field struggled under the wear and tear of three teams, making maintenance a challenge, especially in bad weather. Now, we have an all-weather facility that will serve our student-athletes and the entire university community far better.”

The upgraded facility boasts state-of-the-art features, including a new scoreboard, a cutting-edge sound system, shot clocks for lacrosse, covered benches and new bleachers that can accommodate more than 300 fans. Also, for the first time, the field is fully illuminated, allowing for evening practices and games. “It’s the nicest field in our conference and rivals many Division II or III athletic facilities,” Thomas added.

Another bonus is that the new field now meets NCAA specifications for soccer, which means UDC is eligible to host championship events on campus. “We’ve waited a long time for this, and now we’re ready,” Thomas said with pride.

The field isn’t only for official games and team practices, “All of our student-athletes will be able to use the facility for training,” Thomas explained. “And it’s not just for the athletes. The whole university community—students, faculty and staff—will have opportunities to use the field during open hours. We’re also planning to revitalize our intramural program, especially in soccer, which has always been popular with our students.”

For students looking to enjoy a casual game or some exercise, the process is simple. “We’ll post open field hours on the UDC Athletics website, just like we do for the gym and the pool,” Thomas noted. “We encourage everyone to check the site regularly for updates.”

When asked about the upcoming athletic seasons, Thomas shared that UDC has 30 new student-athletes this year, bringing the university’s total to around 120. “Last year was incredibly successful, both academically and athletically, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum.”

Thomas highlighted the men’s soccer team, whose players were especially eager to start the season on the new field. “They’ve faced significant challenges, including having to train off-campus early in the morning. Despite these hurdles, they reached the conference championship last season, narrowly losing in the final minutes. With many key players returning, I’m confident they’ll have a stellar season.”

The women’s tennis team also has high expectations after qualifying for the NCAA Championships last spring. “We have some very talented new players joining our strong returning upperclassmen,” Thomas said.

For new and returning students alike, Thomas had a message: “UDC Athletics is here to support your growth, both on and off the field. Our staff is dedicated to providing an outstanding experience, and our upgraded facilities are a testament to that commitment. Whether you’re an athlete or a fan, your involvement is critical to our success.”

Thomas emphasized the importance of fan support, both in person and online. “Our fans are a crucial part of our team’s success. We’re focused on enhancing the fan experience, and we encourage everyone to come out and support our teams. If you can’t make it to the games, you can still watch all our soccer matches streamed live online and follow us on Instagram at @UDCAthletics for the latest updates.”

And check back soon! On Oct. 12, UDC will host alumni games for men’s and women’s lacrosse. “It’s going to be like a homecoming for many of our alumni, and they’re really looking forward to playing on the new field,” said Thomas

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Grier worked NFL games for 23 years (1981-2004), beginning as a field judge before being promoted to referee and wearing the white hat in 1988. His final game as a field judge was Super Bowl XXII. There he saw former Grambling quarterback Doug Williams become the first Black starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Grier worked 15 playoff games overall, according to FootballZebras.com.

Johnny Grier’s long history in the profession

The North Carolina native and University of the District of Columbia (UDC) graduate began officiating high school football at 18 years old.

“I visited him about two weeks ago in hospice,” said longtime friend Ike Darden, who has known Grier since his college days at UDC. “I formally met him (Grier) through Tom Beard, who started the first MEAC Football Clinic at Howard University’s Cook Hall dormitory. That was in 1987,” Darden said.

Grier moved to college football in 1972 with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and then officiated in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). “He worked about every position before moving up to referee,” Darden said.

During his NFL officiating career, he also served as the director of football officiating for the MEAC.

The legacy of black NFL officials

Grier is among a cadre of great black officials that work and have worked in the NFL and paved the way for others.

He followed in the footsteps of Burl Toler, the first Black official in the NFL who served as a field judge and head linesman from 1965-1989. Grier also followed former Howard Athletics Director Leo Miles who was a head linesman in the NFL and worked in the league for 22 years (1969-90). Miles worked 15 playoff games and three Super Bowls, becoming in 1974 the first African American official to work a Super Bowl game. Miles also served as a supervisor, evaluating the performance of on-field NFL officials.

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After a muddy affair in our nation’s capital, UDC Men’s Lacrosse (2-0, 0-1 ECC) triumphed over Barton College (0-2) in a gritty overtime thriller on Feb. 11. The Firebirds were content on notching their first win in 2020 after dropping a season opening loss to nationally ranked New York Tech. This contest was the first meeting between Barton College and UDC.

Barton College sailed past UDC via a 5-1 run in the first quarter. After allowing an early 2^nd Quarter goal to Barton, the Firebirds would answer back with three consecutive goals (two by Joseph Cote and a Jeffery Vo score). Cote would contribute two more goals before the conclusion. Unfortunately, Barton added three more scores to earn a 9-6 lead. At halftime, Head Coach Rodger Colbert urged his young UDC Firebird squad to ramp-up their gameplan in order to chip away at Barton’s lead.

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The UDC offense marched past the Barton defense by scored three additional goals in the 3^rd Quarter’s 7-minute mark (2 goals from Jacob Saunders and a score via Turner Allison). With the score knotted at 10-9, Barton would burst back with a 3-1 run that extended until the early 4^th quarter and earned them a 14-10 lead. UDC responds back to the Bulldog assault by scoring 2 goals in the 4^th Quarter’s 12-minute mark (Eric Boco and Zander Torres). Barton created widened their lead to 15-12 after a goal in the 11-minute mark. Coach Rodger Colbert inspired his Firebirds to rise from the ashes and help protect District of Columbia Field. In the late 4^th Quarter, the UDC offense capitalized on their head coach’s words by unleashing barrage of 4 straight goals and claimed their first lead of the game at 16-15.

However, Barton College snuck a crucial goal before regulation’s end to send the match into overtime. UDC refused to let their flame die in the frigid Washington weather. The unassisted heroics of Zander Torres solidified the muddy but rekindled Firebirds to their first 2020 victory, 17-16.

UDC edged Barton statistically in the team categories of groundballs (36-27) and faceoff wins (19-16). The Canadian sensation from Kelonwa, British Columbia, Zander Torres anchored the UDC offensive stats of; 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists), 8 shots, and 4 groundballs. Offensive production was also noted by freshman attackman Joseph Cote (4 goals, 1 assist, 4 shots) of Port Coquitlam, Canada and sophomore midfielder Jacob Saunders (3 goals, 6 shots, 3 ground balls) of Silver Spring, MD.

UDC’s hard fought defense was led by Nanaimo, Canada’s Karson Gregory (5 groundballs) and 4 groundballs respectively won by junior defenseman Gerald Futrell (Montclair, NJ), senior midfielder Arthur Phorntavewat, and junior midfielder Josh Sequira (Silver Spring. MD). The Firebird special teams were grounded two DMV standouts in senior midfielder, Arthur Phorntavewat (12/22 faceoff wins) of Silver Spring, MD and sophomore midfielder, Mack Hildago (6/12 faceoff wins) of Silver Spring, MD.

UDC Men’s Lacrosse looks to extend their win streak in the Philadelphia area this Saturday, February 15^th against Chestnut Hill College (0-0).

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Felician jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two minutes of the match before UDC went on a 6-0 run to shift the momentum in its favor for good.
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Edmond Taylor and Zach Hart scored five goals each as a total of 10 Firebirds scored all together. The new mark eclipses the one of 18 the team set Feb. 21, 2017

UDC will travel to Hampton on Friday to take on the Division I squad. It is a matchup of the first two HBCU lacrosse teams at their respective NCAA divisions. UDC beat Hampton in a shootout last season, winning 19-15 in Hampton.

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