Mount St. Mary’s University will break ground in Summer 2021 on the Rooney Athletic Performance Center, a 26,500 square foot athletic facility to benefit the entire Mount community, including the rapidly growing NCAA Division I, premier team sport, club sport and intramural programs.
The centerpiece of the Rooney Athletic Performance Center at the PNC Sports Complex will be the Legends of the Mount mosaic, an interactive mural comprised of inspirational photos and stories from members of the Mount community. The photos collected will combine to form the primary image of the mosaic, a compilation of five Legends of the Mount: Coach Jim Phelan, the late Coach Jim Deegan, men’s basketball alumnus Fred Carter, track & field alumnus Peter Rono and women’s basketball alumna Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis.
Together these five legends achieved unbelievable accomplishments that highlight the greatness of the Mount. Highlights of these accomplishments are: 830 men’s basketball coaching victories, developing and coaching 78 All Americans and 11 Olympians, an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics, a nine-year NBA career and a NEC player of the decade.
The interactive mosaic will begin online at www.legendsofthemount.com. At this link, for a gift toward the Rooney Athletic Performance Center, individuals will be able to contribute their favorite photo(s) of their experience at the Mount and tell their story of how the Mount impacted them. These photos could be of friendships made, relationships begun, championships won, families created, bonds formed or whatever moment individuals would like to share with the Mount community. The collection of these images submitted by Mount alumni, students, faculty, administrators, staff, fans and other members of the Mount family will make up the larger image of the Legends of the Mount.
Once the Rooney Athletic Performance Center is completed, the Legends of the Mount mosaic will move from being an online mosaic to an 18-by 20-foot physical mural fully visible to all who visit the Mount athletic facilities. When viewed from far away, the primary images of the legends are visible, yet with close examination, the image is made up of smaller images. Along with the physical mural, an interactive kiosk will allow people to search through the images and stories, and contributors will be able to find their individual photos and stories.
The Rooney Athletic Performance Center will house three multi-use courts to be used primarily for recreational services, club sports and intramurals. In addition, a new 5,000 square foot fitness center will open to all members of the Mount community. By creating more space for the student population and the greater Mount community, the Mount will be able to repurpose existing spaces. Dillon Fieldhouse will become a dedicated track & field practice facility, and the current student fitness center will become the new varsity weight room.
The Legends of the Mount mosaic will serve as the capstone to the athletics portion of the Forward! Together As One capital campaign. For more information on how you can participate in the mosaic, visit www.legendsofthemount.com or contact Kevin Robinson Jr., director of athletic development, at krobinson@msmary.edu.