Beldon Field - Goucher Gophers (Soccer)
- Richard Smith
- Oct 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 29
Photos by Richard Smith Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14
Beldon Field 1021 Dulaney Valley Rd. Towson, MD 21286
Year Opened: 2009
Capacity: 1,000
Home Of The Gophers
Goucher College is a former all-women’s college located in Towson, Maryland, a northern suburb of Baltimore. The college opened in 1885 as the Women’s College of Baltimore City, changed its name to its current name in 1910, and went coed in 1986.
Goucher relocated to its present suburban location, northeast of the county seat of Towson in Baltimore County, in 1953. The college is named in honor of its founding member, John Goucher, and his wife, Mary Fisher Goucher. Goucher College is a private co-educational liberal arts college. It was initially affiliated with the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but currently has no real church affiliation.
The college has approximately 1,480 undergraduate students enrolled in 33 majors and 1,200 graduate students. Notable alumni include Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps Margaret G. Kibben, Maryland State Delegate John A. Olszewski, Jr., and frequent John Waters actress Mary Vivian Pearce.
Goucher athletic teams are known as the Gophers. The college competes in NCAA Division III as part of the Landmark Conference. Beldon Field opened in 2009. It is the home of men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. This review is for both the men's and women's soccer teams, which generally run as a doubleheader event.
Food & Beverage 0
There is no permanent food stand at Beldon Field. Fans should make sure to eat before or after the game.
Atmosphere 4
There is a pleasant, simple grandstand at Beldon Field. Additional seating is along the hills surrounding the venue. You will find a variety of seating options.
The field is in a little bowl or meadow, and sound travels extremely well within the area. This creates a lovely little atmosphere so that even small crowds sound rather lively.
Neighborhood 4
The Goucher College campus has been used for a few scenes in the Netflix series House of Cards, so expect to recognize the stone buildings. Towson is a semi-urban area with a large shopping mall and numerous restaurants.
Try the Charles Village Pub in the heart of downtown Towson for good food and drinks. Some other great options are The Crease, Glory Days Grill, Sushi Hana, and Zia’s.
Baltimore is also a quick drive away. Check out the Federal Hill neighborhood, south of the Inner Harbor. There are a few fun restaurants and bars here. Abbey Burger Bistro is one great choice. The beer selection is good, and they offer a dizzying array of burger choices, which are all likely to satisfy.
Fans 3
Most of the fans are the players' friends and family, with a few scattered students in attendance.
Access 4
Goucher is located just off the Baltimore Beltway (I-695). The only negative is that Towson is a busy area, and traffic can be bad at times. The college itself is pretty and quite suburban. You will find plenty of parking close to the arena, though a night game may make parking tight at times.
Return on Investment 5
The games are free to attend. So, although the level of play is relatively low, the free parking and admission make this a fantastic value for sports fans.
Extras 2
Goucher College has a little athletics hall of fame located in the Decker Sports & Recreation Center Arena lobby. The pretty little campus is a nice extra in itself.
Final Thoughts
Beldon Field is a pretty basic, low-level sports field located in a lovely suburban setting near Baltimore. It is not worth making a trip just for a Goucher Gophers game, but if you are in the area, you will enjoy the game for its low level of investment.
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