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NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Merrimack College officially broke
ground on the Volpe Athletic Center Expansion Project
Wednesday.
Over 500 faculty, staff, students, student-athletes and alumni
were in attendance at the special ceremony which took place at
Rocco Schelzi Memorial Plaza.
“Today, in this moment in the life of this College, I want
to be clear that what we are celebrating is the future,”
stated Merrimack President Christopher Hopey. “And so, this
building is not just bricks and mortar, or glass and steel, it is
an expression of a common purpose, shared vision and a new
momentum.”
Merrimack College has partnered with Richard and Susanna Gallant
and the Islanders Hockey Club to expand the Volpe Athletic Center
by 83,000 square feet over the next year.
“On behalf of my family and the Islanders, we thank
everybody here today that has made this project possible,”
said Richard Gallant. “We couldn't be more excited
about the ultimate conclusion of this so we have this great
facility to make memories in.”
“While my Merrimack career is coming to an end,
it's exciting to see the hard work that countless
student-athletes, coaches, staff, and alumni have put in is paying
off,” stated Katie Ganser of the women's basketball
team. “I'm jealous I won't be able to experience
the new and improved Volpe Athletic Center as a student but I
can't wait to see it as an alum and to see our women's
basketball team play inside Lawler Arena one day.”
The expansion will result in a second full-sized ice rink, a 5,000
square foot Center for Sports Medicine, a 3,500 square-foot
athletic training facility, additional locker rooms and offices,
and a new state-of-the-art varsity weight room.
With Sports Medicine and Athletic Training among the fastest
growing programs within Merrimack, students and faculty will be
provided with unique opportunities to combine classroom work with
internships and practicum courses for gaining clinical experience.
Expansion of the Sports Medicine facilities will provide
one-of-a-kind opportunities to expand public-private partnerships
while also providing professional services related to improving
health, wellness, and performance for athletes and non-athletes of
all ages and abilities.
“This project is a rink, a training facility, a sports
medicine facility, locker rooms and other athletic facilities, but
more importantly it is the foundation for which we begin our ascent
to Division I,” said Hopey. “And more importantly
still, it is the moment where our values, our resources and our
energy clearly state that men's and women's athletics
are equal at Merrimack College.”
Additionally, Merrimack will add four luxury suites in Lawler
Arena, a new lobby and ticket office, a Merrimack Hall of Fame
display and additional concession facilities. The new Volpe
Athletic Center will become the new home for the campus
bookstore.
For more information, log on to www.merrimack.edu/momentum.
