WATERVILLE, MAINE, April 2021 — Thomas College announces it will begin construction on a new athletic facility on its campus in Waterville later this year with plans to open in early Fall 2022.
The new athletic center will be an 18,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Bernatchez and Smith fields at the Kennebec Savings Turf Field Complex. This facility will create a hub and home for the Thomas College athletics program and include strength and conditioning and athletic training space, locker rooms, coaches’ offices, an Esports arena, and viewing area. This new building will alleviate pressure on Thomas College’s existing Harold Alfond Athletic Center so it can be better utilized by the entire campus community. A video rendering of the building can be seen here.
“This facility has been part of a phased, strategic, campus master plan,” says Thomas College President Laurie G. Lachance. “As Thomas College has grown, so too have our athletic programs, which include forty percent of our student population. Plus, we have a large and growing varsity Esports program, including more than 45 students this academic year. Building a home for these programs is critically important to the student experience.”
This facility will be funded in part by the College’s highly successful Guarantee the Future Campaign, which generated more than $30 million in philanthropy, exceeding a goal of $27 million.
“Our new athletics facility will be a home for our current and future student-athletes,” said Thomas College Athletic Director Christopher Parsons. “This state-of-the-art facility will allow our Terriers to compete at the highest level and help attract high-performing student-athletes to our programs.”
Current student-athlete Samantha Fortin says, “The new athletics building is something super exciting that I am really looking forward to. A new facility will allow for better training our athletes, to provide the best results for individuals and our teams. A quality environment is a big draw for student-athletes, and I cannot wait to see the finished building.”
Another student-athlete Jackson Ladd says: “Expanding our campus just a little more for athletics shows that Thomas is not only advancing academic standards but also athletics.”
About Thomas College: Thomas College has been preparing students for success in their personal and professional lives for over 125 years. Thomas College nurtures the unique potential within each student. Our Guaranteed Job Program, 3-year accelerated offerings in all undergraduate degrees, individualized advising, career counseling, and our Innovation Centers in Business and Education meet a student’s determination to succeed with the direction, confidence, and tools to realize the highest version of themselves. Our graduate degree offerings fit your lifestyle ranging from in-person accelerated programs to evening online courses. From the classroom to community activities, or on the athletics field with our 19 varsity sports, Thomas College provides a personalized experience that prepares you for the workplace of tomorrow. Data reported by the New York Times ranks Thomas in the top 13 percent of all higher education institutions in the U.S. for upward mobility of its graduates, and U.S. News & World Report ranks us #7 among colleges in the Northeast. For more information, visit wwwold.thomas.edu or contact MacKenzie Riley Young at pr@thomas.edu or 207-859-1313. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.