| Hutsell-Rosen Track Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 2006 |
| Track Surface | Beynon Sports BSS 2000 |
| Track Address | 702 Biggio Drive Auburn, Ala. 36830 |
| Track Building Address | 650 Lem Morrison Drive Auburn, Ala. 36830 |
Auburn's track and field teams have had a variety of facilities over the six decades the varsity sport has been on the Plains. From a fifth-mile dirt track in the mid-1920s, to the modern Benyon Sports BSS 2000 Surface of today, Auburn athletes have excelled wherever they have performed.
A new track facility was completed prior to the 2006 season that ranks among the nation's best. The new top-notch facility includes Beynon Sports Surface's BSS 2000 track surface, with jumping and throwing areas, grandstand seating, a meet control booth, public restrooms, field lighting and storage facilities. The facility was officially named Hutsell-Rosen Track April 22, 2006, prior to the Auburn Invitational, and served as host to the 2008 SEC Outdoor Championships.
Auburn's first head track coach, Wilbur Hutsell, recognized the need for a track if the sport was to have any success at Auburn.
Hutsell, along with the aid of other Auburn supporters, built the first track at Auburn, a fifth-mile dirt oval, in the spring of 1922. The track was cindered the following year, and Auburn teams used it until a new track was built in Cliff Hare Stadium in 1940.
In 1970, Auburn expanded its football stadium, forcing the team to find new training grounds. Under the direction of athletic director Jeff Beard, Auburn built a new track in the fall of 1970 and appropriately named it Wilbur Hutsell Track. The new facility, one of the finest in the nation, was textured with a Grasstex rubberized asphalt.
The 1984 season found the Auburn track team on another new surface, this one called Rekortan, the same surface used at the Los Angeles Coliseum for the 1984 summer Olympic Games.
In preparation for hosting the 1988 SEC Outdoor Championships, Auburn spent $65,000 to renovate Wilbur Hutsell Track. The additions included adding a wind-screen around the fence encompassing the track, placing protective nets around the discus rings and improving other field event areas.
In 1997 Auburn again hosted the SEC Outdoor Championships. In preparation, the university spent approximately $200,000 to enhance the overall appearance of Wilbur Hutsell Track by adding lighting and other additions. The lights allowed Auburn to avoid the hottest hours of the day by hosting meets that can run into the evening.