IC News

Mike grew up in Syracuse, an all-around athlete who wanted to play football and run track in college. Division III athletics gave him that chance. He lined up as a strong safety for Bomber football, but it was on the track that he truly found his stride. Specializing in the 400 and 800 meters, Mike was part of the relay squad that still holds the college’s two-mile relay record (a record he holds in part, he jokingly acknowledges, because that race is no longer run in NCAA competition). He also contributed to Bomber sports history: In 1981, he helped Ithaca College secure its first men’s outdoor ICAC conference championship under the late head coach Mike Donnelly. At the time, IC didn’t yet have an indoor track, so the team would lace up and run over to Cornell to practice during the winter season. “I was really happy when we got the indoor facility [the Athletics and Events Center in 2011] because I knew that would improve the type of athlete that would consider Ithaca as a track and field choice,” Mike said. “And a school choice. So now this outdoor track will do the same thing.”

As the mother of four college athletes, Tracy—who grew up in Westchester County—understands how athletics enriches the lives of students and alumni alike. “If it wasn’t for this college, we would not have met, not have built this family,” she said. “Athletics and sport benefit everyone.” For her, the project carries a mix of sentiment and pragmatism. “This is our first philanthropic adventure, and it’s really important to us,” Tracy said. “We’re looking forward to bringing our family to Homecoming and starting this journey of giving back. I just can’t think of a better place to start than with Ithaca College, and we feel really good about that.”

The Egans want their step forward to motivate others to reflect on their own connections to Ithaca. “We’re hopeful that this inspires others to jump in and find those places at Ithaca College where they have a special memory or that helped them find success in life and—in whatever way that works for them—to give back,” Tracy said. “It feels really good.”

That sentiment resonated with Vice President for Advancement Laine Norton. “ Mike and Tracy’s gift is a powerful reminder that philanthropy doesn’t have to follow a template,” Norton said. “It’s about giving in ways that reflect your passions and experiences. For them, that meant track and athletics. For someone else, it might be music, sustainability, or scholarships. Every gift tells a story and empowers others to grab the baton.”

Mike added that the benefits ripple outward. “When a runner attends a big meet, it draws a lot of attention. Families come. They look at the campus, the siblings of the track athletes participating, they see the campus. There’s a radiating effect.”

Student-athletes say the impact will be immediate. “We now have some of the absolute best facilities in the game—from our indoor and outdoor tracks to training rooms—which will also increase the prospective recruits we are able to bring in,” said Physical Therapy major/Psychology minor and high jumper Maddie Wright ’27, DPT ‘29. “I’m beyond excited to have the opportunity to train and make memories on our new track for my last two years of track and field.”

Middle-distance runner Ben Buffone ’27, an Exercise Science major (sport science concentration), said he is “extremely grateful to the Egans for helping us pursue our athletic aspirations. Having not just one, but two, state-of-the-art facilities to host meets—indoors and now outdoors—is unbeatable.” Cece LaBonte ’26, an Architectural Studies major with a minor in Graphic Design and a pentathlon/heptathlon competitor, added: “I want to say how much gratitude my teammates and I have for the Egans. Their contribution to our school and to our program will provide so many opportunities for our team and will help us to continue our legacy of being a nationally competitive program and competing on the national stage.”

Managed by Clark Companies, which also oversaw the Bertino Field project at Butterfield Stadium, the track and field construction is slated to conclude this fall.

“This facility is more than a track—it is a milestone for Ithaca College,” said President La Jerne Terry Cornish. “Because of Mike and Tracy Egan’s vision and generosity, our student-athletes will once again have a home to train and compete, our campus will gain a space for health and community, and the Bomber tradition will grow stronger for generations.”