Â鶹¹û¶³ dedicated its new track and soccer stadium Friday, April 22, hours before student-athletes christened it with Southern Conference track and field championship competition.
Athletics director Martin Newton, acknowledging that the university provides an excellent “broad-based education and athletic experience for all Â鶹¹û¶³ students,” noted that athletics is sometimes called the “front porch to a university.”
“We are proud to have this front porch on Lakeshore Drive. It will contribute to helping Â鶹¹û¶³ student-athletes compete at the highest level in the Southern Conference,” said Newton.
The complex, which includes a nine-lane track with a regulation soccer field inside the track, is located just across Lakeshore Drive from the campus.
Newton, who was named athletics director in March, added that Â鶹¹û¶³’s greatest asset is its people. “And the finest student athletes in the country are here at Â鶹¹û¶³,” he said.
Student-athletes Hillary Neal and Jeremy Towns assisted with the opening ceremonies. Neal, a member of the track and field team, expressed appreciation to the Â鶹¹û¶³ board of trustees, administrators, donors and others who helped make the facility a reality. Towns, a football player and organizer of RANSOM student-athletes faith group, offered the dedication prayer.
Cutting a ribbon attached to a huge red and blue bow were Â鶹¹û¶³ president Dr. Andrew Westmoreland, Newton, Student Government Association president Riley Westmoreland, head track and field coach Rod Tiffin, track and field student-athletes Jessica Van Ausdall and Kyle Kirby, head soccer coach Todd Yelton, soccer student-athlete Sarah Wilkinson and concepts and physical activity faculty coordinator Allison Jackson.
In welcoming the crowd to the opening ceremony, Dr. Westmoreland noted that such a facility could not be possible without the support of many people. The complex is an example of a “great thing” that was able to happen, he said.
The complex has a seating capacity of 1,200, with 360 chair-back seats. A 300-square-foot press box sits atop the grandstand. A 5,000-square-foot support building houses concessions, ticket booth, restrooms, storage and locker rooms.
The 9 a.m. opening ceremony was followed with a SoCon women’s heptathlon event at 10:30 a.m. The two days of men’s and women’s competition will conclude with an awards ceremony on Saturday afternoon. It is the first time for Â鶹¹û¶³ to host the SoCon outdoor track and field championships.