MANCHESTER, NH – Members of the Saint Anselm College community gathered to break ground on the Van Hoof Athletic Complex on Oct. 10.
The facility will include an eight-lane track, a synthetic turf soccer field, LED lighting, spectator seating, and a multipurpose building with locker rooms. The 18-month campaign goal is $2.5M, with $1.5M raised to date.
The Van Hoof Athletic Complex will be home to the Hawks men’s and women’s track & field programs, and men’s and women’s soccer teams, as well as a wide array of other college programming. The track & field programs participate in both the indoor and outdoor seasons within the Northeast 10 Conference. The Hawks soccer teams play NE10 seasons in the fall and exhibition games in the spring.
Trustee Jim Van Hoof ’85 and Tracey Van Hoof ’87 made the lead gift for the complex in honor of his parents, Carol and James Van Hoof.
“Tracey and I want it to stand as a testament to all the parents who make the enormous sacrifices necessary for athletes to compete at this level,” Van Hoof said. “No student athlete arrives at Saint Anselm without hundreds of hours of carpools, cleats, sideline cheering, and unyielding encouragement. This complex will be a tribute to all of the parents who provide that.”
Saint Anselm President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D., thanked the athletes who have waited for this moment while the college worked its way through the regulatory process with the communities of Bedford, Goffstown, and Manchester.
“The athletes are here, and they are anxious and deserving of the beautiful complex we are creating,” President Favazza said.
News of the Van Hoof Athletic Complex is the latest development on the Hilltop this year. In September, the college opened the doors to Grappone Hall, the $35M home of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Saint Anselm has seen enrollment growth over the last four years, increasing each year since the post-Covid class, with this year’s first-year class setting a record with 647 students. The college has a retention rate of 90% and four-year graduation rate of 84%.