Manhattanville University held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new multi-sport field, marking a major milestone in the athletics enhancement project. The new field will expand recreational and competitive opportunities for student-athletes at Manhattanville, strengthening campus life as well as offering Westchester residents a new option for field rentals.
Manhattanville University leadership, the Manhattanville University Board of Trustees Chair Christopher N. Lewis ’97, student-athletes, athletics staff, and community leaders (including Nancy Barr, Westchester County Legislator, District 6; and Tom Scappaticci, Supervisor of the Town of Harrison and Mayor of the Village of Harrison) all gathered at Manhattanville for the groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the milestone and the future of Manhattanville athletics.
“As Manhattanville University grows, we must continue to invest in the people, the programs, and the facilities that make the Manhattanville experience distinctive. Today’s groundbreaking honors our athletic history, while preparing us for the future. It is an investment in our scholar athletes, in the strength of our programs, and in the pride and community that athletics brings to this campus. We are excited about what this project will mean for Manhattanville, and I look forward to seeing our scholar athletes take the field in the years ahead,” said Frank D. Sánchez, PhD, President of Manhattanville University.
“This groundbreaking marks the beginning of something we can see taking shape before our eyes. But it also represents something larger: the shared belief in what is possible and a commitment to building a stronger future,” said Manhattanville University Board of Trustees Chair Christopher N. Lewis ’97.
“Today is an exciting milestone for Manhattanville Athletics,” said Julene Caulfield, Associate Vice President of Athletics and Recreation at Manhattanville. “This project represents a significant investment in the future of our athletic programs. It’s an opportunity to create a lasting impact on our campus and community. I’m grateful to everyone who helped bring this project from an idea to reality, and I look forward to seeing what this facility will mean for our Valiant Family for years to come.”
“It was a pleasure to share in the excitement of the groundbreaking of the beautiful new baseball field at Manhattanville University,” said Nancy Barr, Westchester County Legislator. “I was particularly impressed by the foresight to design it in a way that the outfield can be used for other sports as well, including Women’s Flag Football. It is a great addition to the already outstanding facilities and will serve the students well for years to come.”
The project includes a complete renovation of the University’s baseball field, with the addition of a versatile, multi-use field designed to serve several sports programs. The upgraded field will feature a modern turf playing surface, enhanced netting and safety improvements, expanded seating, and upgraded player amenities.
The new field will support baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey while also creating an opportunity for the introduction of a new varsity sport, women’s flag football. Women’s college flag football was officially added to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Emerging Sports for Women program in January 2026.
The multi-sport field will provide a high-performance environment for student-athletes and will offer increased flexibility for practices, competition, and campus events. In addition, the field will support external rentals and events, providing additional revenue to Manhattanville while giving Westchester and the surrounding communities a new place to hold sporting events.
In August, the Harrison Zoning Board approved the zoning variance required for the project to move forward. That decision followed earlier approvals from the Planning Board, including site plan approval, a steep slopes permit, and environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process. Together, these actions represent the completion of the project’s public review phase and reflect months of collaboration between the University, consultants, and Town officials. The new field is expected to be completed in time for the 2027 athletics season.
For more photos of the groundbreaking, visit https://manhattanville.smugmug.com/Multi-Sport-Field-Groundbreaking.
For additional updates on the new multi-sport field, visit http://www.mville.edu/advancingathletics.