Photos by Nancy DeLander Beecher/Jacksonville Sports Day
The Jacksonville Axmen scored 52 points in the first half and went on to a 90-0 win over the visiting Atlanta Copperheads on Saturday night at Rock Stadium on the Jacksonville University campus.
After two decades at the University of North Florida, the Jacksonville Axemen will have a new home stadium, located at Jacksonville University. Rock Stadium, which is the home to the University’s D1 Lacrosse programs, will be transformed into a rugby league pitch this summer and showcase Jacksonville’s toughest sport.
Making the change after 20 years at UNF wasn’t an easy decision, says Drew Slover, co-founder and general manager of the Axemen, but he is excited for a new chapter for the team at Rock Stadium.
“There just wasn’t the availability at UNF to accommodate our schedule this year,” said Slover. “So we looked into other venues and found the stadium at JU to be a good fit for our needs. We think the fans will enjoy upgraded seating to better view the game, as well as improved facilities. There will still be concessions, beer sales, and merchandise right on site, so we really think the fans will have a great game day experience here.”
The Axemen are going into their 21st season in the South conference consisting of 5 teams and a growth of teams nationally. The Tampa Mayhem are back and arguably the Axemen’s greatest rivals, along with the Miami Shoremen in their second consecutive year. The former South Florida Copperheads have reestablished the team in the Atlanta area, and the USARL welcomes a new team, the Sarasota Bull Sharks to the South Conference.
