Colgate University officially ushered in a new era for its campus community on Saturday, breaking ground on the highly anticipated Carey Center — a transformative 97,250-square-foot athletics facility that will serve as the new cornerstone of Colgate University’s Division I athletics program.
The naming of the state-of-the-art facility recognizes a leadership gift from Chase Carey ’76; his wife, Wendy; and their children, Steve ’12 and Tara ’13. This project is also supported by significant philanthropic investments from several additional donors, including Steve Errico ’85, P’16,’18 and his family.
The ceremony featured remarks from both Carey and Errico, former chair of the University Board of Trustees and facility donor Michael J. Herling ’79, H’24, P’08,’09,’12, as well as President Brian W. Casey, Vice President and Director of Athletics Yariv Amir ’01, and Head Volleyball Coach Ryan Baker.
“Colgate athletics create a unique bond and pride that unites students, alumni, faculty, and the broader community,” Carey said during the ceremony. “Some of Colgate’s greatest memories stem from supporting teams competing for championships. Our student-athletes deserve facilities and resources that match that high standard.”
Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects in partnership with Grace Design Studios, the Carey Center will centralize athletic functions that are currently dispersed across campus, creating a high-performance hub for all 25 Division I teams.
The project reflects Colgate’s commitment to enhancing the student-athlete experience. The Carey Center design evolution — shaped through zoning reviews, discussions with coaches and student-athletes, site approvals, and the relocation of some campus operations — marks a significant step forward for Colgate athletics.
“Our new athletics plan outlines a series of strategic priorities for Colgate athletics,” said Amir. “One is to provide our student-athletes with a stage on which they can achieve their full potential. The Carey Center will push Colgate ahead even further, which will impact the other commitments in our plan: to attract outstanding student-athletes and provide a Division I experience for all Colgate students.”
He reminded the audience that the Carey Center “will be the largest capital project this campus has undertaken, both in terms of size and cost. It will be the home to six Colgate varsity sports, but it will also serve as a hub for Colgate athletics, bringing together resources and programming that are shared by all student-athletes, including sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition, academic support, and more.”
Key features of the 97,250-square-foot athletics facility include:
- Errico Family Arena: A 1,650-seat performance venue for basketball and volleyball featuring a center-hung video board and state-of-the-art broadcast capabilities, and home to Cronin Court
- Expanded Training Spaces: A new strength and conditioning center that is 75% larger than current facilities in Huntington Gymnasium
- Football Operations: A dedicated western wing for the football program, including locker rooms and meeting spaces that will be unique within the Patriot League
- Integrated Sports Medicine: A centralized space for sports medicine and nutrition to improve efficiency for student-athletes
“The student-athlete experience at Colgate is truly unique; it pairs the desire to excel in a sport with discipline, teamwork, and lifelong community,” Errico said. “It teaches you how to handle hardship and, crucially, how to balance rigorous academics with a full-time athletics commitment. It’s time that we elevate our athletics facilities to reach the standards that President Casey, the board, and this community expect of them.”
Preliminary construction has begun; to make way for the project, the University’s buildings and grounds operations are being relocated to a new facility on Randallsville Road, clearing the site for the massive construction effort now underway. Strategic management by architects and construction crews, already well underway, will ensure that the Carey Center will be complete by the fall semester of 2028.
“This facility represents more than a new building; it represents a belief in our student-athletes and the future of Colgate athletics,” Baker said. “What has always made Colgate special is the people, the culture, and the opportunity to compete at the highest level while earning a world-class education. Now we will have a facility that reflects that same level of excellence.”
Beyond the Carey Center construction, the future vision for the athletics neighborhood includes room for an outdoor green space and Raider Walk to form an athletics quadrangle, transforming the area into a cohesive athletics and recreational environment.
In the summer of 2025, the University announced $115 million in gifts to the Campaign for the Third Century, support dedicated to the renovation and expansion of the campus community along Broad Street, just steps from where the new Carey Center will sit. Strengthening the student experience and developing the campus are key priorities with the University’s Third-Century Plan.
“I truly wish to thank the Carey family, the Cronin family, the Errico family, and all those who have supported the creation of the Carey Center with Cronin Court and Errico Arena,” says President Brian W. Casey. “The tradition of having our student-athletes not only competing at the highest level of competition but also with excellent facilities is only possible because of our generous alumni and friends.”
— Jordan Doroshenko