Dr. Donald E. Bain, president of St. John Fisher College, announced today that the Polisseni Foundation has donated $3 million to be used for the creation of the Polisseni Track and Field Complex at the College. This gift is the third largest in Fisher’s history.
This leadership gift will enable the College to create an eight-lane, 400-meter competition track with a grass infield. Components will be installed in the infield for shot put, pole vault, and long jump events. In addition, there will be bleacher seating for approximately 1,000 people, with locker rooms for the student-athletes and public restrooms.
“We are extremely grateful to the Polisseni Foundation—particularly Wanda Polisseni, who is a trustee of the College—for this gift,” said Dr. Donald Bain. “The Foundation has made a tremendous impact on the quality of life in the Rochester community, and we are pleased that their work will extend to the Fisher campus. The addition of the Polisseni Track and Field Complex will allow us to add intercollegiate athletic offerings, will enhance the recreational opportunities for all members of the Fisher community, and will position the College quite competitively among our peer institutions.”
With the construction of this state-of-the-art track and playing field, Fisher will add seven NCAA Division III sports to its roster of intercollegiate offerings. The sports are: men’s and women’s cross-country; men’s and women’s indoor track; men’s and women’s outdoor track; and field hockey. It is anticipated that these sports teams will begin competing in fall 2011 and will attract an additional 150 student-athletes to the ranks of Fisher’s undergraduate population.
Student-athletes at Fisher enjoy considerable success both in the classroom and on the playing field. In the past year alone, over 100 student-athletes were named to the President’s List in the Empire 8 Conference, indicating that they earned a 3.75 grade point average or higher. Additionally, in the spring 2009 semester, nine of Fisher’s 14 athletic programs had a team grade point average of 3.20 or higher.
In addition, all of the athletic teams at Fisher regularly volunteer in the Rochester community. Fisher athletes can be found taking part in a breast cancer walk, officiating Special Olympic Games, or taking part in a Camp Good Days and Special Times fundraiser, to name a few. Developing student-athletes who give back to the community is one of the values that our coaches stress on a daily basis.
Construction of the new facility is tentatively scheduled to start in fall 2010 and will be completed in time for Buffalo Bills Training Camp in summer 2011. In addition to working with the Town of Pittsford, we will collaborate with the Buffalo Bills organization to ensure that the new facilities meet their needs for Training Camp as well.