McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson College has renamed McPherson Stadium as Brubaker Family Stadium, honoring the legacy of Earl J. Brubaker, whose lifelong passions were family, McPherson College, and football.
The announcement comes as the Bulldog football team prepares for its first home game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 5, against Bethel College.
“McPherson College is honored to name the stadium for a family whose legacy is woven into the history of our college,” said McPherson College President Michael Schneider. “The Brubaker family represents the kind of lifelong participation and service we hope to inspire in our students. We are grateful to honor their legacy and see the Brubaker name on a place where students gather to build community.”
Brubaker played football at McPherson College in the early 1940s and later served on the college’s board of trustees for 25 years. He and his wife, Letha, remained devoted supporters of the college throughout their lives, continuing a family tradition that spans more than a century.
“In our family, McPherson College isn’t just a place we attended – it’s part of who we are,” said Nathan Brubaker, a 1995 graduate and Earl Brubaker’s grandson.
The Brubaker family’s connection to the college began more than 100 years ago with Earl’s parents, Mae Heiny and E.E. Brubaker. E.E. Brubaker played basketball, and the couple met while attending McPherson College in the early 1900s. Later, all three of Earl and Letha’s children — Tom, Jane, and Larry — graduated from the college. Larry played golf, and Tom played football. Tom also met his wife, Paula, a McPherson College cheerleader, at the college. He later served on the board of trustees.
Tom and Paula Brubaker’s sons, Nathan and Dan, carried on the family tradition by playing football and graduating from McPherson College in the mid-1990s. Nathan’s wife, Amy Diaz Brubaker, played on the women’s soccer team and scored the program’s first goal. She later became the third member of the Brubaker family to serve on the McPherson College Board of Trustees.
“Naming the stadium the Brubaker Family Stadium honors my grandfather, whose love of family, the college and football shaped generations of us,” Nathan Brubaker said. “From his days on the field to his decades of service, he set an example of commitment that continues to inspire his family. Earl’s dedication is a legacy we’re proud to carry forward.”
Originally constructed in 1950, the Brubaker Family Stadium is home to Bulldog football and soccer and serves as a training facility for the Bulldog track and field teams. In 2019, the playing surface was named Paul Family Field.
