Lafayette College has received a major gift from Andrew ’95 and Dina Wallach ’95 to name the Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center. The structure is slated to be built in the footprint of the Maroon Club Strength Center adjacent to Fisher Stadium, Kirby Sports Center, and Bourger Varsity Football House.
The Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center is anticipated to be completed by spring 2024 and is contingent on additional fundraising.
The $10 million center will become the new home for the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs, providing locker rooms, a cutting-edge film room, lounge areas, and office space for each team’s coaching staff.
The 17,000-square-foot, three-story facility will include a dedicated fueling station to meet the needs of all 23 sports in the performance nutrition realm. It will revitalize and modernize the strength and performance development areas of the strength center, which was built more than 30 years ago.
“I am excited for this project to become a reality and am so appreciative of the loyal alumni who are making it possible,” said President Nicole Farmer Hurd. “I look forward to witnessing the impact of the new facility on Lafayette’s ability to recruit and retain the very best student-athletes, coaches, and staff as well as prepare our athletes’ minds, bodies, and spirits for competition at the highest level.”
The Wallachs have maintained a strong connection to Lafayette since they graduated and are passionate supporters of financial aid and athletics at the College. In 2017 they created the Wallach Family Scholarship Fund to provide need-based financial aid and have generously supported the lacrosse program over the years.
“Dina and I are thrilled to support this transformative project at Lafayette,” says Andrew Wallach. “As an alumnus and former member of the lacrosse team, I have always felt strongly that the student-athlete experience builds critical leadership skills that are carried forward both in life and in business. As Lafayette continues to build a championship culture, we are excited to play a part in enhancing the student-athlete experience in the future and hope that the Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center will accelerate athletic success at Lafayette.”
The Wallachs join the F.M. Kirby Foundation Inc., which has already committed $2 million for the project, including a $1 million, one-year challenge gift. The project is directly supporting Creating A Championship Culture, the five-year strategic plan set forth by Sherryta Freeman, director of athletics.
“This is a transformational center that will impact all of our student-athletes in the areas of strength and conditioning, health, and human performance while creating a home for men’s and women’s lacrosse,” Freeman explained. “Aligned with the athletic strategic plan, the Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center will become a focal point for the recruitment of our student-athletes and will support Lafayette’s goal to be a leader in the Patriot League. We are focused on creating a championship culture. A huge piece of that is shaping the experiences of our student-athletes, and this project will benefit our athletics programs for years to come. We are incredibly thankful to the Wallachs, Kirbys, as well as current and future donors to this project.”
