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Schools

Two Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies Set Stage For Future of Lewis Athletics

Faculty, students and alumni join to officially open the newly improved athletic facilities on campus.

hosted two separate ribbon-cutting ceremonies Friday to celebrate renovations to the Neil Carey Arena and the completion of the multi-purpose .

“Today is a great day to be a Flyer," Director of Athletics Dan Schumacher said, describing the mood at the events. The ceremonies were part of a day of of activities celebrating the strides made for the future of Lewis athletics.

The first ceremony took place in the Neil Carey Arena, where over the summer the gym, floor and ceiling were completely renovated, along with a few smaller changes.

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“All of this is for the constantly improving reputation of Lewis as an outstanding mid-sized Catholic university,” said Br. James Gaffney, president of Lewis University.

Joining Gaffney at the unveiling of the arena were Lewis board of trustees member Joel Stava, head men's volleyball coach Dan Friend and head women's basetball coach Lisa Carlsen.

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The ribbon cutting for the multi-purpose athletic and recreation complex took place between the first-ever Lewis women’s and men’s soccer games played at night. With the men’s team practicing for their game in the backdrop, the ceremony kicked off with several faculty and administrative personnel in attendance.

They were joined by alumni, student athletes and Romeoville Mayor John Noak, who took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new track and field.

“This impressive complex shows the university’s commitment to providing our student athletes with the best athletic facilities possible,” said James LaGrippe, a member of the board of trustees at Lewis.

LaGrippe and Gaffney were joined by Schumacher and Jill Siegfried, director of student recreation and fitness and wellness at Lewis, to present at the evening ceremony.

“I believe this is the kind of project that becomes transformational, as it transforms the campus life, student life, and everything becomes much more engaging from an athletic standpoint,” said Schumacher.

The new track and field comes on the eve of Lewis winning the all-sports trophy in the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the 12th time in history, the most wins among schools in the conference. The event also celebrated a record number of Br. David Delahanty Awards in 2011 for student athletes with a GPA of 3.25 or higher.

Along with the official opening of the sports facilities, there were talks throughout the night about sports expansion and university building projects for the future.

Gaffney cited upcoming changes to the Fine Arts building, the chapel and the library on campus. Sheil dormitory will also be undergoing a major upgrade, as will the St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center, as it becomes the new host of the psychology department.

A new student learning center and another large residence hall are also among future plans for the university. 

“Talks for sports expansion have now started,” said Schumacher. “From a football team to a women’s lacrosse, these decisions will probably be made in the near future.”

The new multi-purpose field has already paid dividends to the intramural program at Lewis, with around 280 students signing up for the flag football tournament, the highest number for an intramural program of all time.

“I think everyone did an extraordinary job, the project was on time, on budget and a great investment for Lewis. We took a huge step forward and I couldn’t be more enthused or appreciative,” said Gaffney.

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