New Londonโ – The Colby-sawyer โคCollege men’s soccer team inaugurated the college’s โnew athletic field lights Tuesday evening, September 9, in a contest againstโค Thomas College. โThe addition โmarks a significant upgrade to the โcampus’s athletic facilities and opens โขnew possibilities forโ both student-athletes andโค the โขwider community.
The project, years in the making, culminates a vision to enhance training and competition opportunities while increasing accessibility for fansโฃ andโ families.โค Jenโ McKillop, director of athletics, described the occasion’s theme as: โ “New lights. Same Charger energy. Grab yourโ shades. Chargeโ on and light up the night!” McKillop flipped the switch to โขilluminate the โคfieldโค just before the 7:00 p.m. kickoff, โฃtimed with a sunset at 7:08 p.m.
The installation was made possible โby aโข generous pledge fromโ Veitch, whose earlier support enabled the construction of the track and multi-sport artificialโ turf โคfield.โค In March, New London voters amended the town’s โzoning ordinance in the โคInstitutional – Recreationalโ zone to permit the lighting โคproject.
“The lights willโฃ not โonly enhance our training and competition opportunities, butโ we will also be able toโฃ host events thatโค are moreโฃ accessibleโข to fans and families,” McKillopโฃ said previously. “This isโฃ a win for everyone involved, and we couldn’t โคbe โmore excited to see the โฃpositive impact itโฃ will have.”
Following theโ men’s soccerโข game,the women’s soccer squad is scheduled toโ play under the lights versus Keene Stateโค at 7 p.m.on Tuesday,โฃ September 16.