The first of many ribbons has been broken at Penn’s newest athletic facility.
On Saturday, the University and Penn Athletics hosted the grand opening of the Ott Center for Track and Field, marking the completion of a yearslong planning and construction process that first began in 2019. Penn Director of track and field and cross country Steve Dolan called the event “a celebration,” emphasizing the new role the center will play in the rich tradition of Penn track and field.
“This is a monumental moment,” Dolan said while addressing a crowd of roughly 400 attendees that included donors, administrators, and program alumni. “I was asked tonight when I came up here, ‘What does this new facility mean for track and field?’… The first word I keep telling people is: It’s a home. … It’s the home of Penn track and field, the home of Philadelphia track and field.”
“My second word to bring up is vision,” Dolan continued, citing initial conversations he had with Athletic Director Alanna Wren upon coming to Penn in 2012. “[The vision] was to build off of the success of the Penn Relays and the history of track and field to establish Penn and the city of Philadelphia as a major hub for track and field on the East Coast, the United States, and the world. That was our mission. And I stand here today to tell you that this facility, among other things that have been happening, are starting to really make that dream a reality.”
The 73,000 square-foot facility features many state-of-the-art competition areas, including a 200-meter banked track, two pole vault runways, two long/triple jump runways, a throwing area, an eight-lane infield for sprints, and more than 1,000 spectator seats.
The grand opening event also featured remarks from Wren, Interim Penn President Larry Jameson, and donors — including Jane and David Ott, the principal benefactors and namesakes of the center, Jay Alix, for whom the throws area is named, and Adria Sheth, for whom the track is named. All of the speakers echoed Dolan’s sentiment about the significance of the center, while also emphasizing the merits of track and field.
“So many of the wonderful aspects of my life — my career, my family and friendships, and above all, my now 37-year marriage to the woman of my dreams [Jane Ott] — seemed to trace back to that initial meeting with coach [Pat] Devine,” David Ott said, referencing his high school track and field coach who gave him his start in the sport. “So since then, I’ve seen myself as Exhibit A of the profound influence a coach can have on a person’s life.”
“Track and field is an ideal sport for our times,” Jane Ott said. “The sport enjoys broad participation. It is diverse and inclusive, racially, economically, and geographically. Track and field offers equal opportunities to both men and women, who typically compete in the same venues in front of the same crowds. Coaching is often based on event group, rather than separated by gender. … Track and field offers a multitude of events, accommodating participation of athletes with diverse athletic skills.”
“In 1749, 275 years ago, Ben Franklin decided to pay it forward and give us the first university in the United States,” Alix said. “And in 1881, 143 years ago, Joseph Wharton decided to pay it forward and gave us the Wharton school, all of which I’m the beneficiary [of]. … This is what they were trying to accomplish by creating a place where students could … have a sense of community, a sense of belonging, a sense of accomplishment. All that’s happened here at Penn, and this facility will take that even further.”
The Ott Center will be busy during its inaugural year. Officially opening to the public on Dec. 6, the center will host 43 indoor meets including the first Penn Relays Winter Showcase on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2025. The center will also be frequented by Philadelphia’s youth track and field teams, which Dolan and others cited as one of its primary purposes.
To ring in the new track, Penn hosted ceremonial men’s and women’s mile races that were populated by recent program alumni. Olympian and U.S. 800-meter champion Nia Akins won the women’s race, while the men’s race was won by 2020 graduate Colin Daly.
Many speakers also emphasized the resilience required to see the center’s completion through.
“It wasn’t always easy,” Wren said. “We had moments in this project where we were all a little nervous, and the fact that you all stood strong and stood with us to get to this point is a really powerful testament to your love of this community.”
At a school with its fair share of iconic venues, from the nation’s oldest football stadium to its most historic basketball arena, Penn hopes the Ott Center will become a new jewel in the University’s crown.
“During my time at the med center, my office overlooked this construction site, and I used to look over and wonder ‘What’s that pit going to be?’” Jameson said. “[The Ott Center] will be an anchor for our region. It will pull people from around Philadelphia … and it will provide access to our campus and exposure to college life for so many young people.”
“What we’ve created is an opportunity and an experience,” Sheth said. “And I think that’s what we’re most excited about.”
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