St. Thomas Aquinas College Announces Transformational Athletic Facilities Investment — 4-Acre Property to Include New Volleyball Center, Track & Field
St. Thomas Aquinas College and our founding Dominican Sisters of Sparkill are delighted to announce a long-term lease agreement for the use of a 4-acre property — former St. Agnes Gymnasium and open field — nearly adjacent to the College. This major investment in our NCAA Athletics program will further support our student athletes. It is the latest in a series of strategic facilities investments expanding our campus footprint by 30% over the past two years.
The St. Agnes Gymnasium property — formerly Hallel — is located next to the College, with approximately 4-acres of property, offering 9,000 square feet in the Gymnasium area, plus a parking lot and adjacent open fields. The Gymnasium was opened in 1955 in memory of the young men from St. Agnes who died in World War II and the Korean War.
The College will build a new Volleyball Center (construction is near completion as of August 2024), an outdoor Track with Track & Field facilities, as well as additional athletic amenities including golf simulators, softball and baseball batting cages, and equipment for Club, Intramural, and Summer Camp programs.
“St. Thomas Aquinas College has a long and proven legacy of providing outstanding athletic opportunities for our student athletes, who excel both in the classroom — within the top 10% of all NCAA Division II schools — and on the field,” said STAC President Ken Daly. “We are passionately committed to the holistic development of our students and are proud to add these popular athletic offerings for our student athletes.”
Sister Irene Ellis, Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and STAC Board member, said: “We are thrilled to share the news of this agreement as a continuation of the longstanding support by the Dominican Sisters. Since our founding of the College in 1952 as a teaching institution, we have developed a shared mission to ‘enlighten the Mind through Truth’ and are committed to the holistic development of students so that they can make a profound difference in the world.”
The College was proud to announce the addition of Women’s and Men’s Volleyball programs as our 21st and 22nd NCAA sports. With the launch of our DII Women’s Volleyball Program and Men’s Volleyball Program anticipated to begin in the Fall of 2023 and Spring 2024, STAC leads the East Coast Conference (ECC) in NCAA sport programs.
The College has previously announced several other major completed construction projects including the Fitzpatrick Hall 72-bed housing facility, Camp Venture 12-acre property and building acquisition, as well as new student support investments, such as the Romano Student and Alumni Center, Career Center, Admissions office, and Student Financial Services office, which have revitalized and expanded the campus footprint from 60 to 76 acres.
About St. Thomas Aquinas College
St. Thomas Aquinas College is an independent liberal arts college located on 76 acres in Rockland County, NY, which provides education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College’s approximately 2,000 full and part-time students can choose from more than 100 different majors, minors, specializations, and dual-degree programs across four Schools: Arts & Social Sciences, Business, Education, and STEM. The College is recognized by U.S. News & World Report in the Top-Tier for Regional Universities, by Colleges of Distinction in both its New York and Catholic editions, by Affordable Colleges Online as a Top College in New York for Return on Investment, and is included as a Military Friendly School®. St. Thomas Aquinas College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; its School of Education is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), and its School of Business is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). For more information, visit www.stac.edu.
About STAC Athletics
The St. Thomas Aquinas College Department of Athletics features 22 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Athletic Programs, and a variety of Varsity and Club Sports, including Sprint Football, Ice Hockey and Esports. The College’s approximately 450 student-athletes live by the motto “Making Success A Habit,” whether inside of the classroom, within the community, on the athletic field or court, as evidenced by the program’s multiple Conference & NCAA postseason appearances and championships, Academic Success Rate honors and Community Service awards.
About The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill are part of the worldwide Dominican Family founded by Saint Dominic in the 13th century. Since their founding by Alice Mary Thorpe in 1876 to care for destitute women and children in New York City, they have continued to serve the people of New York, and have also responded to those in need located in Missouri, Montana, and other States, as well as internationally in South America and Pakistan. “Our more than 250 Sisters and Associates are committed to bringing the good news of the gospel to others by the witness of our lives and compassionate service.”