ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine announced the next steps of its Athletics Facilities Master Plan, a UMS TRANSFORMS initiative, on Saturday, Nov. 23 at a ceremonial groundbreaking celebration held inside the New Balance Field House.
This includes the New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and Morse Arena. The projects, and others already completed as well as in the pipeline, are made possible by a transformational $320 million commitment from the Harold Alfond Foundation to the University of Maine System (UMS), which includes a $170 million investment in UMaine Athletics to fund its Athletics Facilities Master Plan as part of UMS TRANSFORMS.
The New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex, named for a $7 million commitment from New Balance Athletics, will begin construction this month with a targeted date for opening in October 2025. The project will feature a state-of-the-art soccer turf complex adjacent to a modernized track along with new spaces for field competition. Also located inside the track will be a multipurpose area to provide additional support for athletics and community events.
Morse Arena, named for a $10-million commitment from Phil & Susan Morse, is currently in the schematic design phase and remains on pace to begin construction related activities in the summer/fall of 2025. The arena is anticipated to open during the 2027-28 season and will be the new home of Maine men's and women's basketball equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, offices, locker rooms, and sports medicine area and a new strength and conditioning center that will benefit the entire athletic department. The venue is also expected to contain football operations and office space.
The New Balance Track & Field and Soccer Complex and Morse Arena will further UMaine's commitment to promoting excellence in the state's only NCAA Division I athletics program, strengthen equity, and provide a preferred destination for high school sports championships, competitions, and community events.
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As the state's only Division I program, UMaine Athletics is committed to developing high-character champions filled with pride and integrity who are dedicated to excellence in the classroom and in competition. We strive to unite our community by mirroring the state's deep rooted commitment to perseverance, hard work and meaningful impact in all of our endeavors. By intentionally fostering a diverse, welcoming environment, Black Bear athletics is dedicated to equipping the next generation of leaders for success after sport.
About the University of Maine: As Maine's only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state's land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine's statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow's leaders. As the state's flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor's, master's, professional master's and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts/.
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