Swarthmore Beyond the Game
– Val Smith, President
– Steve Sell ’89, Chair of the Athletics & Well-being Committee
For those students participating on one of Swarthmore’s 22 Division III intercollegiate varsity teams, the quality of competition and level of achievement improves year after year. Swarthmore College Athletics counts among its many accomplishments more than 350 All-America honors, eight national championships, and, during the 2023–24 academic year, four Centennial Conference Championships.
While Swarthmore students, faculty, and staff enjoy and prioritize academic pursuits, the College must also prioritize a campuswide culture of health and wellness, creating time and space for recreation, rest, and connection.
Over the past decade, we have invested in a series of upgrades that have improved athletics facilities, including Ware Pool and the Mullan Indoor Tennis Center, for both student-athletes and the broader community. Now we must address the most significant, expensive, and meaningful Athletics capital projects: replacing and modernizing Swarthmore’s field house and reimagining Cunningham Fields.
– Brad Koch, Marian Ware Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation
Proposed elements of a new Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness Center (ARWell):
- A six-lane, 200-meter track with synthetic infield for field sports and/or multipurpose courts to accommodate intercollegiate practices and recreational programming.
- Increased square footage, so that every varsity team has a dedicated locker room with shared bathrooms, in addition to locker rooms for all students, visiting teams, officials, faculty, and staff.
- Thirty offices, including one office for each faculty-coach and shared offices for assistant coaches.
- A varsity strength-training facility in the field house, allowing the Matchbox to accommodate expanded recreational use for all students.
ARWell Naming Opportunities
This Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness Center will provide top-tier training and competition spaces, increased and enhanced locker rooms and office space, and additional recreational spaces for the entire campus community. While plans for the athletics facilities are in their initial development phase, the project will be designed to attract users of all identities and abilities, including community members who perhaps never considered — or even actively avoided — athletics-focused facilities.
Through 22 competitive NCAA Division III intercollegiate teams, an evolving physical education curriculum, and club, intramural, and recreational offerings, the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation is key to the College’s commitment to educating and developing the whole student.
A six-lane, 200-meter track with a synthetic infield for field sports and/or multipurpose courts that will meet NCAA requirements. The track will also be used for indoor fitness activities for the entire campus community, such as walking and jogging.
A synthetic multipurpose infield for field sports and/or multipurpose courts. The infield will accommodate intercollegiate sport practices and growth in recreational programming and physical education courses. Students will play a broad range of sports on the infield, including pick-up basketball, ultimate Frisbee, fencing, pickleball, volleyball, and badminton.
An entryway designed to touch all levels of student life and our campus community, build connections, promote wellness, and celebrate our Hall of Fame inductees.
A dedicated varsity strength-training facility (weight-lifting racks and equipment, cardio equipment, turf area for agility, and offices for head and assistant strength & conditioning coaches), which will allow the Matchbox to accommodate expanded recreational use.
A sports medicine center and rehab area outfitted with offices for athletic trainers and a physician, an exam room, and modern treatment modalities to elevate student-athlete care, rehabilitation, and injury prevention.
A space to enhance our commitment to student health, wellness, and nutrition for all members of our community. The cafe and lounge will be a gathering spot before and after workouts or practice. It will also attract students who live in the many residence halls near the athletics facilities.
A multifunctional room that will enhance game day entertaining and tailgates, recruiting, and provide a space for our campus community to gather and cheer on the Garnet!
Improved spaces for the athletic director, associate and assistant directors, Athletics Communications, and key support functions.
A central location for all coaches and administration to plan, collaborate, and build collegiality. It will also be a resource for the broader campus community.
A suite to include Athletics faculty-coaches offices, shared offices for assistant coaches, and offices for staff, creating a central location for all coaches and administration to collaborate and build collegiality. The following sports will each have a coaches’ suite: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, Swimming, Track & Field, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Lacrosse, Women’s Lacrosse, and Golf. Other options include: Men’s Tennis and Women’s Tennis (which are currently housed in other buildings).
A space designed to accommodate team meetings, instructional courses, CPR/AED training, mental health first aid training, and more.
A space large enough to accommodate the equipment, apparel, and laundry needs of 22 intercollegiate sports and more than 500 student-athletes. It will also provide office space for several professional staff and student assistants.
- Replacing some, but not all, natural grass fields at Cunningham with two synthetic turf fields.
- Creating a new, field hockey-specific synthetic turf field with outdoor lights.
- Renovating existing tennis courts at Cunningham Fields and adding six new courts. These courts will allow the men’s and women’s teams to practice and compete side-by-side, and shorten matches that currently span eight hours or more.
The outdoor field complex will have a ripple effect across our community, offering new opportunities for physical education, club sports, and recreational programming, and intensify our commitment to student and community health and wellness.
Tennis Center and Cunningham Fields Naming Opportunities
A 12-court tennis complex will not only bring us into alignment with championship-caliber programs at peer institutions nationwide, but it will also increase our opportunities to host NCAA tournaments. We will renovate the existing tennis courts at Cunningham Fields and build six new courts for a total of 12 hard courts with lights and a new scoreboard. The new courts will enable the men’s and women’s teams to practice and compete side by side, and shorten matches that currently span eight hours or more.
We will construct a state-of-the-art synthetic turf field designed exclusively for field hockey, complete with lights, a press box, and a scoreboard. Currently, the team practices and competes at Clothier Field, which was not designed with field hockey in mind. This new facility will provide student-athletes with an elevated game-day experience.
This new turf field will expand practice and competition opportunities for both the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. It will also increase access for intramural and club teams, reducing scheduling conflicts with varsity athletics and broadening recreational participation.
A centrally located pavilion will serve the needs of student-athletes and the broader Swarthmore community. The facility will feature three team rooms, a satellite training room, storage space, and publicly accessible restrooms, making it a hub for both athletic and recreational activities.
A fully restored natural grass field will provide high-quality space for rugby, ultimate frisbee, and other recreational sports, strengthening opportunities for student engagement and physical activity. A designated public entrance will make the field accessible and welcoming for community use.
A pedestrian walkway will connect College Avenue to the train station, providing a safe and accessible route for students and community members. This shared pathway will improve access to athletic facilities and offer a welcoming space for walkers, joggers, and visitors.
A new entryway off Chester Road will create a direct link between the campus and Cunningham Park, making the facilities more accessible for students, fans, and community members. Clear signage will guide visitors, ensuring the fields are easy to find and welcoming to all.
Elevated, two-tiered bleacher seating accommodates up to 75 spectators, offering them excellent views of both sides of the courts and ensuring an engaging match-day experience.
Terraced seating, including accessible seating, for 150 fans, will be integrated into the landscape next to the field hockey field, creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for spectators.
A 12-court tennis complex will not only bring us into alignment with championship-caliber programs at peer institutions nationwide, but it will also increase our opportunities to host NCAA tournaments. We will renovate the existing tennis courts at Cunningham Fields and build six new courts for a total of 12 hard courts with lights and a new scoreboard. The new courts will enable the men’s and women’s teams to practice and compete side by side, and shorten matches that currently span eight hours or more.
We will construct a state-of-the-art synthetic turf field designed exclusively for field hockey, complete with lights, a press box, and a scoreboard. Currently, the team practices and competes at Clothier Field, which was not designed with field hockey in mind. This new facility will provide student-athletes with an elevated game-day experience.
This new turf field will expand practice and competition opportunities for both the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. It will also increase access for intramural and club teams, reducing scheduling conflicts with varsity athletics and broadening recreational participation.
A centrally located pavilion will serve the needs of student-athletes and the broader Swarthmore community. The facility will feature three team rooms, a satellite training room, storage space, and publicly accessible restrooms, making it a hub for both athletic and recreational activities.
A fully restored natural grass field will provide high-quality space for rugby, ultimate frisbee, and other recreational sports, strengthening opportunities for student engagement and physical activity. A designated public entrance will make the field accessible and welcoming for community use.
A pedestrian walkway will connect College Avenue to the train station, providing a safe and accessible route for students and community members. This shared pathway will improve access to athletic facilities and offer a welcoming space for walkers, joggers, and visitors.
A new entryway off Chester Road will create a direct link between the campus and Cunningham Park, making the facilities more accessible for students, fans, and community members. Clear signage will guide visitors, ensuring the fields are easy to find and welcoming to all.
Elevated, two-tiered bleacher seating accommodates up to 75 spectators, offering them excellent views of both sides of the courts and ensuring an engaging match-day experience.
Terraced seating, including accessible seating, for 150 fans, will be integrated into the landscape next to the field hockey field, creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for spectators.
The goal for the new athletics facilities is to enhance the experience of current users and attract new users of all identities and abilities, including community members who perhaps never thought of — or even actively avoided — athletics-focused facilities.
We will do this through programming that touches all aspects of campus life by being intentional with the design and functionality to support:
through dedicated spaces in ARWell for meditation and mindfulness as well as wellness programming that builds resilience and helps students learn how to cope with stress.
by providing expanded opportunities for recreational and fitness activities for the entire community, dedicated strength and conditioning space for varsity athletes, and grab-and-go food options that promote good nutrition.
through thoughtfully designed spaces that encourage students to socialize and be in community with one another between classes or practices.
How you can help
The College’s new strategic plan underscores our steadfast belief in educating the whole student and emphasizes holistic development, integrating advising and academic excellence with opportunities for personal growth, recreation, civic engagement, and joy.
As students require growing support for mental and emotional health and wellness, the time to act is now. The new Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness Center, tennis center, and upgraded Cunningham Fields will enable us to better support our students and set them up for success during and after Swarthmore.
Steve Sell ’89 and Michael Costonis ’92 are champions of this special fundraising initiative and have assembled a group of dedicated alumni and parents to serve on the Athletics & Well-being Committee. Together, they are setting out to reach an ambitious fundraising goal of $100 million.
Please consider joining them today. Your early investment in this transformational project will elevate student achievement both on and off the field and have a significant impact on the entire Swarthmore community.
Josie Burri
Associate Vice President, Capital Giving & Campaigns
(610) 328-8507
jburri1@swarthmore.edu
Michael Costonis ’92, Vice Chair
Amanda Beebe ’15
Susannah Blair ’08
Colin Convey ’97
Gwyneth Cote ’84, P’20
Donna Cronin ’84
Elizabeth Economy ’84
Michel Glouchevitch ’76
Matthew Goldstein ’04
Giles Kemp ’72
Corey Mulloy ’94
Jennifer Rickard ’86
Kathryn Riley ’10
Jay Rose ’95, P’28
Melissa Rose ’95, P’28
Benjamin Schall ’97
Salem D. Shuchman ’84, P’16, P’27
Rob Steelman ’92
Charles Sussman ’05
Richard Truitt ’66
Donna Vos P’26
David Wolfson ’16
