BELTON-Ever since former UMHB head football coach Pete Fredenburg retired on Jan. 7 of this year, there had been rumblings as to how his lasting legacy on Crusader football would be visible entering the 2022 season, the program’s first without him as head coach.
Naming the field at Crusader Stadium “Fredenburg Field” was an idea pitched from day one. And on Tuesday, the UMHB athletic department made the new name official.
Few have had an impact on the world of D-III football like Fredenburg had in his 24 years at the helm of the program, which began with the Clifton, Texas native as its head coach in 1998. Six years after UMHB football’s inception, the Cru reached the national title game, and in the years that followed, captured a total of 17 ASC titles. Fredenburg’s illustrious career featured a record of 231-39, with 163 All-Americans, 125 All-Region selections coming through the program.
“Wow! What an incredible honor and tribute to all the players, coaches and staff who sacrificed and dedicated themselves to hard work and the pursuit of excellence,” Pete Fredenburg said in a statement released by UMHB on Tuesday. “Our successful journey would not have been possible without them and the support and guidance of our faculty, staff and administration. Our football program is also indebted to the many parents and fans who believed in us over the last 24 years. I will always be humbled and grateful for this recognition and our wonderful years at Mary Hardin-Baylor.”
The words “Fredenburg Field” will be mounted on the brick wall behind both end zones, in addition to permanent plaques for Fredenburg’s accomplishments. He was 51-3 when head coaching at Crusader Stadium, with six undefeated seasons at home. The official ceremony for the naming of the field is scheduled for Sept. 17, on the same date as UMHB’s third game of the season against Southwestern.
“Pete Fredenburg arrived on the UMHB campus from day one with a plan to develop a football program and take it to national prominence,” Vice President for Athletics Dr. Mickey Kerr said in the same release. “He nurtured this program and guided it to unprecedented success. Going forward, Fredenburg Field will always serve as a reminder of the goals set for the Cru Football program and a tribute to the coach who built it.”
YOU ARE AN AWESOME COACH AND UMHB WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND THE PLAYERS AND PEOPLE YOU COACHED CINDY