By: Sloan MacRae, Senior Director of Communications
The morning began gray and cold, but as President La Jerne Terry Cornish stepped to the podium at the new Egan Family Track & Field Complex, the clouds thinned and sunlight shone over the brand new Bomber-blue lanes.
"Many of us have watched from our office windows as this beautiful facility took shape day by day — a visible symbol of progress, teamwork, and pride," Cornish said. "It represents the momentum and growth of IC Athletics and provides our student-athletes with an exceptional home that matches their dedication."
She thanked Mike and Tracy Egan for their generosity and recognized Susan Bassett '79, the recently retired associate vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics, for helping bring the project to life. Cornish also offered "special thanks to our facilities team for their work overseeing this project from start to finish … especially Ernie McClatchie [associate vice president, Office of Facilities], Mike Sherwood [key security coordinator and project manager], and their teams." She likewise thanked Advancement for "all of their work the past two weekends, but especially this weekend as we dedicated and cut the ribbon for the Egan Family Track & Field facility … what a beautiful weekend of events, and congratulations to them."
The dedication marked the culmination of long-held hopes realized through focused planning, generosity, and persistence. Alumni Mike Egan '84 and Tracy Egan '84—whose gift made the project possible—were joined by their children and grandchildren for the opening remarks. Alumni and current Bombers later took the first relays on the new surface, and, a few minutes later, past and present Ithaca track athletes gathered in front of the bleachers for a rousing, "Bombers on three!"
After more than a decade, IC's outdoor track and field programs have a home again: a top-flight, iconically blue facility engineered for performance and striking in its design, built for training and competition, with the added benefit of serving campus wellness and community connection.
Aaron Bouyea, director of intercollegiate athletics, described the complex as both a milestone and a promise: "This track gives our student-athletes a place to train, to compete, and to dream, right here on our campus."
The Egans' gift grew from a chance conversation at a 2022 NCAA playoffs football game. After reading about the college's plans to update the football stadium, Mike Egan '84 approached Bassett with a simple question: "Where's the track?" That question led to introductions with then men's track & field head coach Jim Nichols and a partnership with Vice President for Advancement Laine Norton—and Cornish embraced the idea, championing it from the first conversation to the finish line, making the Egan Family Track & Field Complex a reality.
The weekend's dedications began a day earlier with the unveiling of the Susan Bassett '79 Press Box overlooking the track, honoring the recently retired athletics director, whose leadership elevated Bomber athletics to new levels of excellence. President La Jerne Terry Cornish praised both Bassett and donor Bob Berry '70, whose generosity funded the structure, noting Bassett's record of championship titles and her role in raising the visibility and distinction of IC athletics. Cornish lauded their shared commitment to "creating spaces where achievement can be witnessed, celebrated, and remembered."
Bassett reflected on the work that turned a long-discussed idea into a facility the college can be proud of. "When Ithaca College decides to invest, expand, improve, and build," she said, "we do things the right way. A project of this magnitude takes time, careful planning, the right combination of donors, leadership, institutional alignment, and patience."
She wrapped with a familiar refrain: "Lots of sports in action this weekend, so let's hear it—Go Bombers!"
