Quinnipiac Athletics Ushers In New Era With Dedication of Stadiums
9/25/2017 6:29:00 PM | Field Hockey, General, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer
by John Franklin, special to QuinnipiacBobcats.com
As the sun beat down on an unusually hot September day today in Hamden, Connecticut, one could almost feel that there was a sense of perfection surrounding it.
The air was crisp, and there was a buzz about the Quinnipiac University community. Members of all ages gathered for what was set to be an incredible day for the future of Quinnipiac Athletics.
Snip.
The ribbon has been cut. It was a ribbon that held the value of four years in the making, and it ushered in a new era for Quinnipiac University.
The new Stadiums with turf surfaces have officially been opened here in Hamden, and with them, come a palpable sense of excitement to all of those who have had a hand in its creation.
"It's terrific," President of Quinnipiac University John Lahey said. "I've done a lot of exciting groundbreakings and ribbon ceremonies over my career, but this day, to impact five different sports, teams, programs, student athletes, and coaches, is almost overwhelming."
The impact goes far greater than Lahey could even imagine. For five Division I programs, they now call this $30 million complex home, and it is a home that has seen a variety of success already.
There's been a win for the field hockey program against the highly-touted Liberty College, as well as wins for the Quinnipiac men's and women's soccer teams in their inaugural games in the new stadium.
Success has a been a constant of the five athletic programs playing on the newly renovated complexes. It's this success that has made the push for these two beautiful facilities, and field hockey head coach Becca Main says there's only one way to describe her feeling.
"Lucky," Main said with a smile. "I've been lucky enough at this place, that the administration keeps you in the loop. For four or five years I've seen the vision from John Lahey, and you've seen the vision before. All the vision he puts in to all of the other the other things he does. To be a part of it you feel grateful and you feel lucky. It's time to really make it happen."
What Main is referring to is the never-ending job to provide success when so much is invested into your program, but for the athletes, they wipe that pressure right off of their shoulders.
As women's lacrosse senior defender Kiera Kelly puts it, it is time to just get on the field and keep the success rolling.
"I think that there's pressure, but I think it's important pressure." Kelly said. "As a senior I have 16 games left in my career, and every day that I step on that field I'll be fighting for that 17th game. I think if we fight for that extra game this year it'll push them to fight for two extra games the following year."
This a moment, to some, that never seemed like a possibility.
Quinnipiac University, with more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, is now even more on the map than ever. It was the creation of the TD Bank Sports Center, and great programs, that provided two Frozen Four runs, countless conference championships, and a run to the NCAA Women's Basketball Sweet Sixteen.
Now, with a facility that Main referred to as a national treasure, that desire to do the same has been thrusted upon five programs here at Quinnipiac. They are ready to make it known that the Bobcats are here, and here to stay.
Quinnipiac alumnus and men's soccer head coach Eric Da Costa has been seeing this growth first hand for years, and it almost rendered him speechless.
"It's staggering, to be completely honest. I'm struggling to find the words," Da Costa said. "Quinnipiac embodies who I am and to have an opportunity to have this and to feel the responsibility to pay it back and we are focused on making sure that we do the best job we can."
Quinnipiac embodies that of a community. A community where academics, arts, and athletics all collide, and that's what makes it unique.
It's something you can't find anywhere else, and there's no family like that of the Bobcat family. President John Lahey himself recognizes that Quinnipiac is a place unlike any other when it comes to this type of an environment.
"Quinnipiac doesn't do everything, but what we do, we try to do at the very highest levels," Lahey noted. "These two stadiums, the complex, facilities, and fields are certainly the best quality you are going to find anywhere in higher education today."
As the sun beat down on an unusually hot September day today in Hamden, Connecticut, one could almost feel that there was a sense of perfection surrounding it.
The air was crisp, and there was a buzz about the Quinnipiac University community. Members of all ages gathered for what was set to be an incredible day for the future of Quinnipiac Athletics.
Snip.
The ribbon has been cut. It was a ribbon that held the value of four years in the making, and it ushered in a new era for Quinnipiac University.
The new Stadiums with turf surfaces have officially been opened here in Hamden, and with them, come a palpable sense of excitement to all of those who have had a hand in its creation.
"It's terrific," President of Quinnipiac University John Lahey said. "I've done a lot of exciting groundbreakings and ribbon ceremonies over my career, but this day, to impact five different sports, teams, programs, student athletes, and coaches, is almost overwhelming."
The impact goes far greater than Lahey could even imagine. For five Division I programs, they now call this $30 million complex home, and it is a home that has seen a variety of success already.
There's been a win for the field hockey program against the highly-touted Liberty College, as well as wins for the Quinnipiac men's and women's soccer teams in their inaugural games in the new stadium.
Success has a been a constant of the five athletic programs playing on the newly renovated complexes. It's this success that has made the push for these two beautiful facilities, and field hockey head coach Becca Main says there's only one way to describe her feeling.
"Lucky," Main said with a smile. "I've been lucky enough at this place, that the administration keeps you in the loop. For four or five years I've seen the vision from John Lahey, and you've seen the vision before. All the vision he puts in to all of the other the other things he does. To be a part of it you feel grateful and you feel lucky. It's time to really make it happen."
What Main is referring to is the never-ending job to provide success when so much is invested into your program, but for the athletes, they wipe that pressure right off of their shoulders.
As women's lacrosse senior defender Kiera Kelly puts it, it is time to just get on the field and keep the success rolling.
"I think that there's pressure, but I think it's important pressure." Kelly said. "As a senior I have 16 games left in my career, and every day that I step on that field I'll be fighting for that 17th game. I think if we fight for that extra game this year it'll push them to fight for two extra games the following year."
This a moment, to some, that never seemed like a possibility.
Quinnipiac University, with more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, is now even more on the map than ever. It was the creation of the TD Bank Sports Center, and great programs, that provided two Frozen Four runs, countless conference championships, and a run to the NCAA Women's Basketball Sweet Sixteen.
Now, with a facility that Main referred to as a national treasure, that desire to do the same has been thrusted upon five programs here at Quinnipiac. They are ready to make it known that the Bobcats are here, and here to stay.
Quinnipiac alumnus and men's soccer head coach Eric Da Costa has been seeing this growth first hand for years, and it almost rendered him speechless.
"It's staggering, to be completely honest. I'm struggling to find the words," Da Costa said. "Quinnipiac embodies who I am and to have an opportunity to have this and to feel the responsibility to pay it back and we are focused on making sure that we do the best job we can."
Quinnipiac embodies that of a community. A community where academics, arts, and athletics all collide, and that's what makes it unique.
It's something you can't find anywhere else, and there's no family like that of the Bobcat family. President John Lahey himself recognizes that Quinnipiac is a place unlike any other when it comes to this type of an environment.
"Quinnipiac doesn't do everything, but what we do, we try to do at the very highest levels," Lahey noted. "These two stadiums, the complex, facilities, and fields are certainly the best quality you are going to find anywhere in higher education today."
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