Le Moyne College looks for a major athletic investment

>> Le Moyne College now wrapped up with its first year in Division one athletics, but the school isn't looking back as much it is as it is. Forward school has a $45 million plan to expand and renovate its athletic complex. So joining us now, Lemoyne President Linda Elmira. Linda always good to see you. Thanks for being with us. >> Thank you so much for having me. It's great to see you, Jeff. >> Let's do a quick recap though. On year one in D1, how do you think it went? You guys I think held up really well. >> We we really competed hard, uh, in the men's and women's sports across the board. >> I think for a first year in Division one, uh, with very little time to prepare, I think we acquitted herself quite well. We competed well. We even made it to the conference tournaments and multiple school sports for men and women. So all in, um, a great experience for our students traveling the country, competing and and seeing and learning that they could compete at this level was a joy to behold. So I would give it a, I don't know, maybe an A minus for the first year. >> I think that's fair enough. I'd agree with you. Absolutely. Um, as we mentioned, off the top big plans for facilities. Let's start with what you're planning to rent on campus and why. >> Sure. Well, virtually our entire our, um, fitness center and athletic complex, the whole thing needs to be renovated and expanded, and these decisions are being made, um, because our general student body needs them to be made, not purely because we went from division two to Division one. So, yeah, in terms of renovations, the locker rooms, um, the coaches need new spaces. They have for several years now, um, our swimming pool needs to be expanded as well. So those those renovations need to happen, whether we're Division one, 2 or 3. Okay. >> Gotcha. Um, what new facilities are you planning to add there? >> We're we're adding on, um, a lot of space to the fitness center weight room. Um, a cardio space that will be really, really sort of a I don't know, a magnet for students who want to be, um, fit and take fitness and wellness very, very seriously. And it's no small secret that we listen to the to the aspirations of our student body and that helps us in making good decisions on their behalf. Um, we'll also add, uh, you know, team rooms, um, that we will need to have, of course. And, um, kind of tracks Jeff and, um, tennis courts and a track and field facility as well. Okay. >> Um, so, I mean, those types seem to be the types of things that college kids are looking for beyond, like you said, just the specific athletic teams is they're looking for places to be, uh, uh, physically fit while they're on campus. >> You bet. There's no question about it. I mean, it's and it's also in keeping with our mission, education of the whole whole person. And, um, the students are making making their requests in the, in a, in the lemoines respectful way. And it's time for us to step up and to modernize these facilities that are very, very important to them. >> Um, are you I know we're only into year one of D1, but year two is already coming up and new teams or programs that you might be looking to add there. >> I know in a previous conversation you said no to football. >> Hockey still possibly on the table. >> Hockey is still very possible, particularly on the women's side. No to football is still absolutely a conclusive decision. We're also looking at men's volleyball. Um, but potentially rowing. Um, we we want to add the number of club sports to that also will give our community a sense of whether or not we want to move additional sports into the varsity status. But on the you know, on the track and field side, I mentioned the track, um, field events, we don't have those now because we don't have the facilities, but we'll be adding things in a methodical, systematic way to make sure there's student demand and interest. Um, before we make those investments. Yeah. >> Um, minute left. So, um, we got to pay for all this, um, let's start with kind of that, that initial plan that you're looking at. I mean, how do we do that? What are what are the finances for this? Well, I will tell you, we are keeping our word. >> When we said we were going to Vision One, we were going to, um, endeavor to go to our alumni base and also corporations and say, look, this community, this neighborhood needs these resources, sources and the way that we will make this affordable is to endow our coaches, in particular our. To that end, I'm happy to report that we already have significant raise, significant seven figure gifts to endow both the men's and the women's basketball coaches. And that's highly significant in less than one year being the D1. And then for the track, uh, for the tennis courts, for the swimming pool. We need to be a better neighbor. This is considered a fitness and wellness desert. The Salt Spring neighborhood. And, um, we're here to to respond to the needs and wishes of our neighbors. And we want to collaborate and make sure that we're offering these facilities to all the families, um, that live, uh, in salt Springs. So we're excited about that. We love working with our neighbors. That's one of the tenets of who we are. And we're quite proud and comfortable with it. >> Absolutely. You've you've always done that. And a lot lots to talk about here. Uh, we're out of time for tonight, but we'll have you back again as this thing starts to move