top of page
  • Greg Venuto

Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field – Marist Red Foxes


Photos by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey


Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14

Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field 3399 North Rd Poughkeepsie, NY 12601



Year Opened: 2007

Capacity: 5,000

 

Football And Fall Foliage


Tenney Stadium sits next to the entrance of the campus and is nestled along the banks of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York, a city of about 32,000 situated roughly 75 miles north of New York City.

Marist is a member of the 10-member Pioneer Football League. In 2013, the Red Foxes shared a Pioneer Football League title with Butler University, but have not enjoyed a winning season since.

Marist has been guided for the past 31 years by coach Jim Parady He is the longest-tenured coach in Division 1.

Food & Beverage 3

There is one concession stand located at the northeast corner of Tenney Stadium at the rear of the permanent stands. Here they offer several items including cheeseburgers ($7), hamburgers ($6), hot dogs ($3), pretzels ($3), hot chocolate ($2), coffee ($2), and bottled beverages ($2).


Pepsi products are sold at this venue.


There are food trucks in the parking lot near McCann Arena for special occasions such as Family Weekend and Homecoming.


Atmosphere 3

On this visit to Marist College, the weather was perfect with fall foliage taking full effect on a sun-drenched day in Poughkeepsie and temperatures in the mid-60s.


Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field is named after two benefactors of Marist athletics. The field was named after Alex Leonidoff, a local physician and avid Marist Athletics supporter. The original facility opened in 1968. The present stadium was dedicated on October 2007. The present stadium was dedicated on October 6, 2007. The stadium’s name honors Tim Tenney, CEO of Pepsi-Cola of the Hudson Valley, who provided the lead gift for the stadium renovation project. The Marist football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s lacrosse, and women’s lacrosse programs call the stadium home.


The eastern side of the field has 7 sections with 15 rows of permanent chairback seating installed. These seats offer a great view of the field. The west side of the field behind the visitor’s sideline features three stairs of rock, layered below the ground. Fans can sit also sit on the grass or bring chairs for seating.


The band is located at the southwest corner of the field just adjacent to the hill seating. The cheerleaders and dance team are situated just to the left or west side of the Marist sideline.


The crowd was engaged and supportive. The speakers blared AC/DC’s Hells Bells on most third downs to encourage the defense and ignite the crowd but were too loud for the size of the crowd. The Jaws theme was also played during 4th down situations and fortunately not nearly at such a debilitating level. The scoreboard is not large and does not have video capability.


Neighborhood 3

Poughkeepsie is situated between the Lower Hudson and the Capital District regions. The city is home to several major corporations including IBM and educational institutions including Marist, Vassar College, Dutchess Community College, and The Culinary Institute of America.


Cosimo’s Trattoria and Palace Diner are two popular places within walking distance of the stadium. Palace is open 24 hours.


Fans 3

On this day, there was a solid supportive crowd of 1,500 which was aided by the weather and the fact it was homecoming and Reunion Weekend. Many alumni were walking the grounds and a common refrain was how much the campus had grown and changed since they attended.


Access 2

The best access to Poughkeepsie from the west comes across the Mid Hudson Bridge only 2 miles from campus Traveling up or down Route 9 can be time-consuming with traffic somewhat heavy and many traffic lights. The Taconic Parkway is about 20 minutes from the stadium and traffic will be less burdensome coming in on Route 55. Parking is free but can be an issue here as the closest lots to the stadium fill up fast and latecomers can be forced to drive to the outskirts of the campus to find parking. Fortunately, there are ample spots but could be a 10-minute walk to Tenney Stadium.


The Poughkeepsie train station, served by Metro North and Amtrak, is 1.2 miles from the stadium.


Return on Investment 5

The chairback seating area tickets cost $10, while general admission tickets are $8. Fans using the general admission seating are allowed to bring chairs for use on the lawn. Tickets cost $6 for children under 12. Ticket and concession prices are a bargain and parking is free. Something hard to find in the sports world today and welcomed during inflationary times.


Extras 3

Just two miles southeast of the stadium, there is a beautiful bridge for pedestrians and cyclists which spans the Hudson River called Walkway Over the Hudson state park. It is the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge and connects Poughkeepsie to Highland. The span, a former railroad bridge that has been repurposed, is open from 7 am until sunset.


The Marist athletic community is elated by the exploits of kicker Jason Myers (2009–2012). Myers was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 3, 2015. Myers, a member of the Seattle Seahawks, made the 2019 Pro Bowl and is among the scoring leaders in the NFL this season.


Final Thoughts

Tenney Stadium is a nice location to take in an FCS college football game. The experience offers family-friendly entertainment with low prices and picturesque surroundings.

189 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page