Army West Point Breaks Ground For Lacrosse Center

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan and President and CEO of the West Point Associate of Graduates COL (Ret.) Bob McClure were on hand Friday morning for the ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the new Foley Enners Nathe (The FEN) Lacrosse Center.

Joining Caslen, Corrigan and McClure were men's lacrosse head coach Joe Alberici, the Noto Family Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse Kristen Waagbo and Gary Giglio '89. Also in the ceremony were Executive Athletic Director Bob Beretta, Associate Athletic Director Gene McIntyre, Associate Athletic Director Stephanie Menio, Garrison Commander COL Landy Dunham and West Point Association of Graduates Chief Operating Officer Todd Browne.

The ceremony began with words about the facility from Caslen, followed by Corrigan and McClure.

The FEN Lacrosse Center is named after former classmates William Foley '67, Lt. Ray Enners '67 and Michael Nathe '67.

"We're very honored that Bill Foley went out of his way to do what he did and he deserves a lot of recognition," Caslen said during the ceremony. "He's doing this in honor of his classmates, two great lacrosse players, Ray Enners and Mike Nathe and what they did here at West Point for the lacrosse program. They took the skills that they learned here on the fields of friendly strife to where it really mattered. You have to think about their devotion and what they did. It's truly an honor to have this facility that will honor them, their memory and their family as well."

Foley is a name familiar to Army West Point athletics as he has his name on the Foley Athletic Center, which is a massive 77,000-square foot indoor facility on the opposite side of Michie Stadium. Foley and his wife, Carol, have been tremendous supporters of Army West Point athletics and the United States Military Academy and this adds more to that legacy.

"It's tremendous and we now see the needle being moved on what we're aiming to give our cadet-athletes," McClure said. "We've moved the needle forward to the next level and we've done it with things like the Foley Center and the Kimsey Center and now we have the Foley Enners Nathe Lacrosse Center and it's fantastic."

Enners was a three-year letterwinner for the Army lacrosse program and was a 1967 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Honorable Mention All-American. Enners was killed in action in Vietnam in 1968 and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, for his service. He still has an impact on the lacrosse community today as the Lt. Raymond Enners Award is presented to the USILA NCAA National Player of the Year in men's lacrosse.

Nathe was a member of the lacrosse and wrestling team at West Point. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam as his first assignment out of the Academy. Nathe was killed in action in 1968 and earned the Silver Star; Bronze Star; Purple Heart; National Order of Vietnam, 5th Class; Gallantry Cross and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

"I want to thank Coach Alberici, Gary Giglio and Buck French," Corrigan said in his remarks. "This whole project started around 10 years ago and they had the vision to create something. Mr. Bill Foley and Carol Foley stepped up in a huge way and as they did, the project started to gain momentum. The thrill that I have is we have an unbelievably great program and we're going to have an unbelievably facility that's going to be one of the top facilities in the country."

The 15,000-square-foot-facility will feature two floors nestled in the northeast corner of historic Michie Stadium, game venue for both programs.

"The West Point lacrosse team is a world-class organization and the tradition of Army lacrosse is so strong," former lacrosse team captain Giglio said. "My passion comes from the fact that I was a player and I was a captain on the 1989 lacrosse team. The kids and this great program deserve to have a great facility to represent Army West Point lacrosse."

The first floor will contain locker rooms for Army West Point's men's and women's lacrosse teams in addition to equipment and athletic training rooms, and coaches' locker rooms. While the equipment room will feature a rolling rack storage system and laundry room, the training room will include six treatment tables, a physician's office, ice machine and Grimm dual therapy pool.

Spacious team rooms that will open prominently to the scenic second floor terrace overlooking the majestic stadium and a multi-purpose room will highlight the building's second floor.

The design of The FEN Lacrosse Complex continues along the aesthetics established by Kimsey Athletic Center and Randall Hall, two of Army West Point's marquee athletic facilities located on the opposite end of Michie Stadium.

Army West Point Athletics

Army West Point Breaks Ground For Lacrosse Center

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