NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics announced on Tuesday the playing surface inside the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Facility has been officially named Barnett Family Field in recognition of the continuous support from former Illinois State football quarterback Danny Barnett and his family. The project was approved at the February 21, 2025, Illinois State Board of Trustees meeting.

The announcement comes on the heels of ISU Athletics and OSF HealthCare officially celebrating the naming of the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Facility in April at an open house event prior to the spring football scrimmage.

"Illinois State University has held a place in my heart since I was 18 years old," Danny Barnett said. "I feel the older we get, the better perspective we have on the most meaningful places, faces, and experiences we have had throughout our lives. ISU Football has been the most profound experience for me, and I am forever grateful.  It is an honor and a privilege for my family to be able to donate money to such a great athletic department."

This marks the second time the family has provided support for the naming of a Redbird Athletics project, following the naming of the Barnett Family Locker Room inside the Kaufman Football Building. Danny was the quarterback for the Redbird football team from 1992-94 and still finds his name in the Redbird record books in several single season passing categories. Barnett led the Redbirds in passing yardage in 1992 (1,062) and 1993 (1,960) and finished his career with 3,940 yards and 20 touchdowns. He still ranks fifth in school history in career completion percentage at 59.0 percent and ranks No. 3 on the single-game list with 36 completions against Western Illinois in 1993.

"Danny Barnett and his family have stepped up to support our department once again and we are thankful for their dedication to providing quality facility improvements for our student-athletes," ISU Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. "Danny knows first-hand from his time at ISU that the experience we give our student-athletes can have a lasting impact on their future. We thank Danny for his continued generosity and passion for Redbird Athletics and its future."

Redbird Athletics dedicated and officially opened the newly minted OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center on September 30, 2023. The facility is a heated, opaque dual-membrane fabric air dome with insulation pockets designed for year-round use by Redbird student-athletes and community groups (by rental). The 79,000-square-foot facility sits directly north of Horton Field House and features a 110-yard practice field now named for the Barnett Family that has a single endzone with run off areas and a FieldTurf surface to match the current one at Hancock Stadium. 

Once rentals became available for community groups in early 2025, the facility became one of the busiest spots on campus, especially for Redbird student-athletes. The field may be painted with lines for football and soccer, but all Redbird sports are taking advantage of the new space that helps prepare them during the competition season and the offseason.

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