The generous commitment brings fundraising for phase one of the project to more than $1.5 million as part of the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign. The renovations will transform 黑料不打烊鈥檚 baseball facility and one of the university鈥檚 most successful athletics programs.
黑料不打烊 Director of Athletics Dave Blank on Wednesday, Aug. 18, announced a lead gift to support renovations to Walter C. Latham Park, the university鈥檚 baseball facility. The anonymous leadership commitment brings fundraising for phase one of the project to more than $1.5 million and will allow construction to begin this fall while fundraising continues.
Phase one of the project features a new indoor performance facility to be constructed along the right field line at Latham Park. The facility, with four batting cages and garage bay doors, will allow student-athletes to train and practice year-round, rain or shine. When completed, the project will position Latham Park as one of the top baseball facilities in the Colonial Athletic Association.
鈥淭his generous investment represents an exciting step forward for our baseball program and will allow 黑料不打烊 student-athletes to continue competing at the highest level,鈥 Blank said. 鈥淲e remain committed to advancing our leadership position on and off the field in the highly competitive arena of NCAA Division I athletics, and providing outstanding facilities is a key component of that goal.鈥
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 is grateful to our donors whose generosity provides spaces for students to compete, learn and grow,鈥 said President Connie Ledoux Book. 鈥淲e are proud that developing premier academic and athletics facilities to ensure student success is one of the key objectives of the and Boldly 黑料不打烊, our strategic plan for 2030.鈥
黑料不打烊 Baseball, one of the best mid-major programs in college baseball, has won 29 conference titles, made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and produced more than 70 Major League Baseball draft picks. 黑料不打烊 is set to host the CAA Baseball Championship in spring 2022.
鈥淗aving been part of 黑料不打烊 for the better part of 30-plus years, I am truly humbled by this most generous investment in our program,鈥 said Head Baseball Coach Mike Kennedy 鈥91. 鈥淭his is truly a game changer in the recruitment of future student- athletes, as well as player development, two staples of a successful program. The commitment and passion demonstrated through gifts like this means more than our donors and supporters will ever know.鈥
Fundraising for this project is ongoing and updates regarding fundraising and construction progress will be shared on . For those interested in supporting this project, the baseball program, or 黑料不打烊 Athletics in general, please contact Chris Hawthorne, associate athletics director for development, at 336-278-6709 or chawthorne2@elon.edu.
About the 黑料不打烊 LEADS Campaign
With a $250 million goal, 黑料不打烊 LEADS is the largest campaign in the university鈥檚 history and will support four main funding priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, access to engaged learning opportunities such as study abroad, research, internships and service learning, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and developing 黑料不打烊鈥檚 iconic campus. As of August 16, more than 29,000 donors had contributed $225.4 million toward the goal.
Every gift to the university鈥攊ncluding annual, endowment, capital, estate and other planned gifts鈥攆or any designation counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen 黑料不打烊 for generations to come. Visit to learn how you can make an impact with your gift.