Ithaca College introduced its newly built track on the morning of Oct. 25, named “Egan Family Track & Field Complex.” The new track was made possible by donations from the Egan family. The athletics department has chosen not to share the amount donated. The Bombers will now be able to host outdoor track meets, something that has not happened since 2016 at the former track around Butterfield Stadium.
Mike Egan ’84 and his wife, Tracy Egan ’84, met at Ithaca College. Mike is an alumni of the men’s track and field program and was a part of the record book team that set the school record in the two-mile relay.
The Egan family’s contributions were the idea of Mike, who, in a speech before the unveiling of the track’s name, explained his inclination for making the facilities possible.
“I had just been reading through the Ithaca alumni book, and I saw a picture of the beautiful football field,” Mike said. “I’m looking there and I said, ‘Where’s the track?’ … ‘What’d they do to our track?’”
Mike got in contact with the school soon after the old track was removed in 2023. After a meeting with President La Jerne Cornish, plans to build a new track were underway.
One of the Egan family’s goals is to provide facilities that simultaneously benefit the track and field program and the entirety of the IC community.
After the new facility’s name was introduced, the ceremony made its way onto the track — colored Bombers blue — for the track’s inaugural races, three 4×400 meter runs, with squads made up of various players from the men’s and women’s track and field teams.
For the players, like women’s senior hurdler Rachel Larson, a new track not only means gaining the comfort of hosting outdoor meets in the spring, but also gaining the ability to polish their outdoor skills in the fall.
“Now, with this new facility, we have the opportunity to train, compete and continue building championship culture right here,” Larson said.
Stargell Williams, men’s track and field head coach, knows how impactful the new track is to those who have waited years for one, despite being in only his second year as head coach.
“I’m just grateful, getting here now and stepping into this,” Williams said. “I like to stay outside in the fall as long as I can. And then when that time comes in the spring, it’ll mean a lot for us to be able to just train right here.”
While Williams is in his second year, Jennifer Potter, women’s track and field head coach, is entering her 23rd season as head coach. The last time Potter’s team hosted a home meet, she was in just her 13th season.
“I’m sure to Coach Potter, it means a lot with her being here longer,” Williams said. “You know, having 10-plus years without a home complex for home meets and then not being able to practice outdoors for a long time.”
Athletic director Aaron Bouyea arrived on South Hill just this year, but can already see how positive of an impact the new facilities have on the athletes.
“When you talk to our track athletes and you see the look on their face, it’s really meaningful to them,” Bouyea said. “It shows that we’re committed to who they are as student-athletes and being competitive.”
Mike recalls many non-student-athletes making use of the old track in his times at IC and wants to be sure that the new track can create a similar connection on campus.
“This is for all of the Ithaca College community,” Bouyea said. “[Track & field athletes] compete and train here, but it’ll be open all day from morning until night for people to access. We’ll likely do community events here too.”
Beyond community bonding, Bouyea envisions the new track serving as a resource for academic research.“Yes, our student-athletes will compete here,” Bouyea said. “But a lot of our health science and [Health Science and Human Performance] students will be out here, working with our student-athletes. … I think it’s going to touch a lot more than just our athletics programs, which is pretty cool.”
