Olympic Medalist to lead FieldTurf in leveraging player input to develop game-changing solutions
CALHOUN, GA / ACCESS Newswire / June 5, 2025 / FieldTurf is proud to announce the appointment of Kelsey Stewart-Hunter as National Director of Softball, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to the sport and the athletes who make it their passion. Stewart-Hunter joined FieldTurf in January as an Associate Regional Sales Manager and will now serve as a critical bridge between athletes and the FieldTurf Innovation and Performance Center.
A University of Florida graduate, she is driven by a winning mindset fostered over her years of playing, coaching, and advising at softball's highest levels. She also brings a powerful voice for athlete advocacy, empowering women in sport, and sharing her enthusiasm for growing the game. Her insights will be essential to ensuring future product developments reflect the real-world needs of players and programs.
"Having played on a variety of surfaces throughout my career, I know how much of a difference the right field can make," said Stewart-Hunter. "FieldTurf is leading the way in softball innovation, and I'm thrilled to help shape the future of the game from the inside."
"Kelsey's leadership will be instrumental as we enter a new era of athlete-driven innovation," said Darren Gill, Executive Vice President, FieldTurf North America. "The needs of athletes are constantly evolving, and it's important to have someone uniquely positioned to gather the insights that will guide our mission to advance the game at every level."
While at the University of Florida, Stewart-Hunter earned numerous accolades as she helped the Gators to back-to-back National Championships (2014-2015). These included SEC Player of the Year (2015) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American honors (2014-2015).
She has also been successful on the international stage as a member of Team USA. Stewart-Hunter won a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics and appeared in multiple World Championship tournaments, resulting in silver and gold medals in 2014 and 2016, respectively. She also delivered the game-winning, walk-off hit in the gold medal game at the 2018 WBSC Women's World Championship.
Her new role with FieldTurf comes as she also prepares to join the Volts of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) for its inaugural season, which begins this summer.
Promoting Softball's Evolution & Growth
FieldTurf's commitment to softball innovation is deep-rooted. The company was the first to launch an artificial turf system engineered specifically for the sport-FieldTurf TripleThreat. Designed with input from softball coaches and athletes, TripleThreat offers elite playability, optimal traction, and consistent ball bounce. It is a system built for the way the game is played.
As the Official Sponsor of the NFCA for over five years, FieldTurf continues to invest in the game's long-term growth. Through partnerships, product leadership, and now, direct engagement from a proven elite athlete, FieldTurf is setting the standard for excellence in softball surfaces.
Today, FieldTurf is trusted at several leading NCAA programs, including the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana Tech, the University of North Alabama, Texas State, and Oregon State, to name a few. These venues are testaments to FieldTurf's performance, durability, and innovation, and to the trust placed in us by top programs across the country.
From local diamonds to Olympic dreams, FieldTurf is proud to support the evolution of softball and excited to continue building the best team to achieve our goal.
About FieldTurf
FieldTurf is part of Tarkett Sports, a world leader in sports construction and surfacing. Providing architectural design, full-scope construction services, and a comprehensive portfolio of industry-leading sports surfacing solutions, Tarkett Sports delivers a seamless turnkey experience for its clients.
Learn more about FieldTurf at fieldturf.com
Learn more about Tarkett Sports at tarkettsports.com
Contact Information:
Iannick Di Sanza
Director of Marketing
iannick.disanza@tarkettsports.com
514 375 2646
SOURCE: FieldTurf
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/fieldturf-prioritizes-athlete-driven-innovation-appointing-kelsey-stew-1035488
