What do Greg Rhymer, Donald Scott, Tommy Asinga, and Paul McMullen have in common, besides competing on the Olympic stage? They’re all proud athlete alumni of Eastern Michigan University. EMU, one of Michigan’s premier institutions, has long been a powerhouse for world-class athletes who carry not only their own names but their nation’s pride. Since 1960, EMU Athletics has had a representative at every Summer Olympics, while its legacy includes 15 team national championships and 55 individual national titles dating back to 1932. With such a decorated past, the spotlight now shifts to the future, as several EMU athletes step up to give back through the second phase of the Championship Building Plan for EMU Athletics.
On September 20, EMU Athletics officially unveiled its brand-new outdoor track field complex, a shining milestone in the Championship Building Plan. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on the Homecoming Weekend, drawing student-athletes alongside proud alumni from the cross country and track and field programs, all celebrating the beginning of a new era for EMU sports.
This project came to life as part of the second phase of EMU Athletics’ ambitious Championship Building Plan, fueled by the generosity of those who once proudly wore the green and white. So, who are the alumni who came forward to contribute to their former school? Former EMU cross country and track and field teammates Dan McClory and Keith Moore, who trained under the legendary Coach Bob Parks, were the first to step forward with a remarkable $2 million gift to honor the program that shaped them.
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Their gesture lit the spark, but it was far from the only one. EMU football star Maxx Crosby and his wife, Rachel, who is also a former EMU soccer standout, pledged $1 million to keep the momentum alive. Well, that’s not all, Regent Emeritus Phil Incarnati also came forward to help, as he committed $2.5 million to the cause. Speaking to the media, Vice President/Director of Athletics at EMU, Scott Wetherbee, stated that this was a dream come true moment not only for him but also for the athletes. “Today has been a long time in the making,” he said.
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He further added, “Since my arrival in 2017, I have always wanted to give our track and field program the facility it deserves. No more sharing with other teams, they now have their own state-of-the-art facility. The track itself will continue to be called Olds-Marshall-Parks track, while we are still working with our lead gift donors on the name of the complex.”
The Original track was constructed way back in 1969 to replace Briggs Field as the home of football and track at the EMU. Now, decades later, the track has been replaced. Well, this was phase two of the programme. As phase two is still underway as EMU Athletics continues its push to remain at the forefront. Phase one of the Championship Building Plan includes the Student-Athlete Performance Center in the north endzone of Rynearson Stadium.
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EMU Athletics stakeholders on the new track for athletes
The Associate Head Coach for Women’s Track and Field and Head Women’s Cross Country Coach, Sue Parks, expressed her excitement and gratitude, highlighting the transformative impact the new track will have on the future of both programs. “I am very grateful to everyone involved in the construction of this amazing new facility. The finished product is more beautiful than I ever imagined, and it will be a great place for our student-athletes to pursue their goals with renewed energy.”
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She further addded, “A huge thank you to everyone at Eastern Michigan who supported this project. I am especially grateful for my former EMU teammates, [Dan] McClory and [Keith] Moore, who have supported me personally, along with being incredibly loyal to our track & field/cross country programs.”
Co-Directors of EMU Track and Field Christ Best, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field, and Sterling Roberts, Head Coach of Men’s Track and Field, also spoke on their gratitude and admiration for the new facility and their teams.
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This cutting-edge facility offers top-tier spaces for sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and equipment operations, while providing the football team and coaches a true home base.