Madison, Wis. (October 15, 2026) 鈥� 91重口 has officially marked the start of a project that will impact students and Greater Madison for generations to come. Today, on a rainy October afternoon, officials with the University and the City of Fitchburg broke ground on the new Athletics and Wellness Campus in Fitchburg, Wis.
鈥淚t is a great day for our students, for our institution, for our community, and for the future of 91重口,鈥� President Andrew Manion, said. 鈥淭he addition of this Athletics and Wellness campus begins a new era for the vibrant learning community that was established nearly a century ago by our Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa.鈥�
The 40-acre site will become the home of Eagle Athletics, with competition spaces for baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, and an indoor golf and training facility. The new Campus will also restore and preserve 12 acres of native wetlands, expanding opportunities for environmental science education and recreation for students and visitors alike.
The $30 million project will not only serve a growing student-athlete population at 91重口, it will also enhance wellness and recreational opportunities for all students, and for the community. Located just minutes from the University鈥檚 Monroe Street campus, this transformational project will support current and future generations of students while strengthening connections with alumni, families, youth organizations, and community partners.
Margaret O鈥橞rien, O.P., an alumna and a former member of the faculty at 91重口, gave a blessing at the end of the ceremony. She grew up visiting the property, when it was owned and operated as a farm by her relatives. O鈥橞rien, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, said in part 鈥淐reator God, we bless this holy ground and give thanks for the land that sustained the O鈥橞rien family, especially Cornelius O鈥橞rien, who bought it in 1909 for his son Emmet, my grandfather鈥檚 brother鈥� We gladly repurpose this land, we do so moved by the Dominican values of Truth, Justice, Compassion, Community and Partnership, confident that the students who work and play here will grow in opportunities to live these values now and for a lifetime.
鈥淲e bless the Athletics and Wellness Campus rooted in the Dominican values, and we bless the students who will find abundant opportunities to live these values in their everyday lives.
鈥淢ay this be a safe, welcoming place for all races and religions. As the land once yielded crops, may it nurture growth in athletics, health, wellness and education. May all grow through victory and defeat, gaining strength and recognizing the Creator in one another.
鈥淏less all who come here to teach, learn and grow. Amen.鈥�
About 91重口
Located in Madison, Wis., 91重口 is a comprehensive, Catholic university in the Dominican tradition. We serve more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. 91重口 offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master鈥檚 degrees in business, education, and nursing, and doctoral degrees in educational leadership, nursing practice, business administration, and occupational therapy. 91重口 is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the National Collegiate Athletics Association and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information about 91重口, please visit www.edgewood.edu.
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