The facility, which was laid out at its present site of Stadium Avenue and Intramural Drive in 1967, is named after Dave Rankin, a former Purdue athlete and track and field coach.
The 400-meter track consists of nine lanes that surround a field containing pole vault and high jump runways at the south end, and long and triple jump runways on both the east and west sides.
The generous field provides ample space for all throwing events. The complex also includes a press box with a viewing deck, as well as an electronic scoreboard installed in 1999. The track was resurfaced in 2009, improving the speed and comfort of racing conditions.
