Monday, May 20, 2019
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State University officials thanked the Cafaro family for its $1.5 million donation toward a new athletic field at a groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon.
The $2.5 million Cafaro Family Field will be used for intramural and club sports. The field is located on Elm Street, and sits adjacent to the Cafaro House residence hall.
The field is expected to be completed in August, and will be used for various student recreational activities including soccer, lacrosse and ultimate frisbee.
YSU President Jim Tressel said the field is needed to accommodate the increasing enrollment of students, both campus residents and commuters.
“It seems whenever we bring up what the students need, the Cafaros step forward and say, ‘We would like to help,’” he said.
The new development is part of YSU’s $100 million “We See Tomorrow” fundraising campaign, the largest in the university’s history.
The donation was made by the Cafaro Foundation, a charitable entity established in memory of William Cafaro, his wife Alyce and their children. The family has made donations toward several facilities including the Watson and Tressel Training Site.
Anthony Cafaro, retired CEO/president of the Cafaro Co., praised Tressel for pushing new projects to improve the campus and the community.
“Youngstown State is the driving force behind progress in this area,” he said.
Capri Cafaro, a YSU trustee and daughter of John and Jan Cafaro, said: “Club sports are very important to our recruitment plan at Youngstown State University. Things like women’s rugby and men’s lacrosse ... these kinds of club sports really attract a new, diverse type of student athlete to the Youngstown State community.”
Luke Leonard, president of the YSU Men’s Soccer Club, said the new field will help his team because it will get more practice time, especially as the team grows.
De’Onte Brown, YSU recreation center supervisor, reiterated that the field is exciting because it will benefit current students and attract more students through YSU’s sports recreational activities.
Tressel said he would like to offer Cardinal Mooney and Ursuline teams the opportunity to rent the field in addition to using it for YSU.