Foundation for success

Wallach is in a key spot for Division I teams, including baseball, cross country, field hockey, soccer, softball, and track and field, that practice and compete at Metzgar.1 The College was intentional about its visibility along Sullivan Trail: Passersby will see a full-bodied Leopard on the facade and a glowing maroon “L” at dusk.2 Available to all student-athletes, the 5,000-square-foot strength and performance center is outfitted with 12 full racks accompanied by Perch technology and iPads to track and guide workouts, plus exercise machines and a 20-yard turf surface for year-round agility training.3 Inside the sports medicine area is a special hydrotherapy room with a 471-gallon tub—used for full cold-water submersion—and a whirlpool for extremity treatment.4 Separate men’s and women’s lacrosse lounges give students a space to socialize or study with ground-level views of the playing fields.5 A covered outdoor balcony presents an unrivaled view of the Metzgar Campus.6 The roll-up garage door is an extension of the gym, but also allows for a compelling field entrance on game days.7

Lafayette student-athletes have a sleek new resource in the Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center that opened this fall at the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.

At nearly 22,000 square feet, the fieldhouse offers Pards a top-notch strength and performance training area, stocked nutrition station, and sports medicine facilities. For the Maroon and White lacrosse programs, the two-story building also houses a film room, office spaces for the coaches and staff, and locker rooms with generous storage for equipment.

Committing the lead gift for the project were Dina Opici Wallach ’95 and Andrew Wallach ’95 (pictured, inset); additional contributors include the F.M. Kirby Foundation Inc., in honor of Jeff ’84, P’19’22 and Karen Kirby ’87, P’19’22. This development at Metzgar—230 College-owned acres located a few miles north of campus—is the latest example of how physical spaces will evolve as part of Lafayette’s campus master plan.

The multimillion-dollar facility arrives at a particularly meaningful time for the men’s lacrosse program: This academic year, the team is celebrating its 100th anniversary, giving student-athletes even more reason to reflect on the squads before them, like the 30-plus men who showed up on the Quad for the first practice a century ago.

“This isn’t just a facility—it is a symbol of belief, a visual testament to the commitment to our student-athletes, and the vision for our athletic programs,” said Director of Athletics Sherryta Freeman at the building’s dedication in September. “The Wallach Sports Performance and Lacrosse Center gives our student-athletes a place where they will find their strength and build a legacy.”