New Display Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Growney Stadium
May 15, 2019
On Friday, May 10, St. John Fisher College celebrated the 20th anniversary of the opening of Growney Stadium with the unveiling of a new display in an adjoining entryway of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Athletic Center.
Constructed in 1999 thanks to the generosity of James P. Growney ’66, the stadium was part of a $12 million campus renovation that helped bring the Buffalo Bills Training Camp to Fisher and sparked an athletic boom on campus. The stadium boasts an all-weather synthetic playing field, 2,100-seat grandstand, electronic scoreboard, and enclosed press box.
“Thousands of Fisher athletes have passed through this hallway and thousands more will in the years ahead,” said Dr. Gerard J. Rooney, president of the College. “Not only do we want them to know your dad, Jim, we also want them to know you, and recognize the impact you have had on Fisher athletics.”
Growney, a member of the College’s Board of Trustees and member of the Athletics Hall of Fame, credited past president, Dr. Katherine Keough, with having the vision for revitalizing the campus footprint, while bolstering its academic and athletic offerings.
“[The new display] tells a story, not just about the stadium, but about the management and leadership of the College,” he said. “I’m pleased and proud to be a part of this.”
Since the stadium opened, Fisher has added 12 varsity sports, including men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and field hockey, which join football, men’s soccer, and women’s soccer in calling Growney their home field.
Of the six sports teams, four have qualified for the NCAA Championship in their respective sport, with football having reached the Division III National Semi-final game twice. In fact, since its construction, Fisher football has earned 140 wins, among the highest totals of any Division III football program over that time period. Field hockey and men’s soccer have each played in the NCAA Championship once and the women’s lacrosse team has won eight straight Empire 8 Championships, and nine overall.