Nebraska Cornhusker track and field facility being renovated

The current track at Innovation Campus in Lincoln doesn't have seating, which has prevented the track and field program from hosting an outdoor meet since 2019.

Ed Weir Stadium used to be the track program’s home. But that location was transformed into a new football training facility. Part of the transition included building a new track near the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The Athletic Department wants to improve the new facility by adding restrooms, concessions, locker rooms and 2,000 seats.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is expecting the project to be finished in October.

Head track coach Justin St. Clair said hosting outdoor track meets will help student athletes with their academics.

“It's fantastic,” St. Clair said. “Not only when you start thinking about just competing at home and representing the University at home, think about — when you don't have that outdoor facility — how much traveling you have to do, how much school you have to miss.”

Nebraska will showcase the new facility when it hosts the 2026 Big Ten Championships next spring for just the second time in school history.

It hosted the 2016 conference championships at Ed Weir Stadium. St. Clair added the event will boost recruiting and the program overall.

“I think there's a lot of excitement surrounding that,” St. Clair said. “Obviously, there's going to be a lot of kinks to work out in between there. We'll have to host a few meets prior to kind of make sure we know how the facility operates and things of that nature.”

The university may add portable bleachers to increase the capacity for the Big Ten Championship, St. Clair added.

Husker track hopes to host an NCAA event down the road.

“Ultimately, I would say our goal would be to put ourselves in a position to host a regional meet,” St. Clair said. “The facility itself, when it's all said and done, it's going to be a great setup for those types of things.”