CENTRE COLLEGE

News release

As part of its recently announced $50 million Initiative for Wellness and Athletic Excellence, Centre College will expand its south fields athletic complex to include new baseball facilities.

Designed by Cincinnati-based MSA Sport, the new baseball complex will feature a full synthetic turf field just southeast of the Andrew P. Amend soccer complex completed in 2017. This will provide Centre student-athletes with an unparalleled Division III experience. In addition to the newly enhanced and expanded Gary Wright Field, Fishman Park will include an auxiliary baseball facility and batting tunnels. Existing structures on the property will be renovated to improve player development and provide a heightened game day experience.

“We are grateful for the generous support of lead donors that have made this transformative project possible,” said Centre President Milton Moreland. “In addition to providing accessible athletic and wellness facilities to all members of our campus community, these projects will enhance our academic and student life programming, as well as strengthen Centre’s ability to build meaningful connections with the community.”

The baseball facilities will be part of the larger, 135,000-square-foot construction project in the heart of campus that will set a new standard for excellence among the nation’s top-ranked liberal arts colleges.

According to Director of Athletics Brad Fields, the new facilities will be some of the finest in the southeast for NCAA Division III colleges and on par with the quality of the spaces offered by many Division I counterparts.

“Our students deserve premier training and competition venues that are commensurate with their dedication, work ethic and commitment to excellence,” said Head Baseball Coach Drew Briese.

“The new Gary Wright Field will have an impact on Centre Baseball for generations to come,” he added. “It is safe to say that our opportunities to recruit student-athletes and provide a life-shaping experience will be among the best in the country. We are grateful for all those who are making this project possible.”

Mark Fishman, a baseball parent and Athletic Advisory Council member, is confident that “the entire design of the wellness complex will be extremely beneficial for Centre in order to attract top athletic and academic talent. Students, coaches, administrators – everyone wants to be part of a school that offers cutting-edge facilities.” He added, “The Initiative for Wellness and Athletic Excellence will reinvigorate recruitment efforts, attracting large and diverse populations of prospective students, scholar-athletes and families to the Centre campus.”

Construction for the new baseball complex just off of Roy Arnold Boulevard will begin immediately, with a tentative completion date timed for the start of the 2022 baseball season. This will clear the space for the groundbreaking of the new wellness and athletic excellence facility in mid-October, as part of the fall Centre College Board of Trustees meeting.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents and friends of the college, Centre continues to provide the highest level of educational, athletic and co-curricular programming for its students. Additional donations are needed to provide the strong foundation of support required to fully fund this transformational project, elevating Centre’s national distinction and growing its reputation as an elite college with premier educational opportunities.

To learn more, please visit https://www.centre.edu/iwae/. Opportunities for support exist at all levels, and gifts to support these initiatives will serve as a direct investment in Centre’s distinctive co-curricular education that develops the leaders of tomorrow.