Facilities

Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park

A $5.2 million gift from Mike, Class of 1979, and Cindy Ginn Biondi, Class of 1980, is enabling major renovations to Red Rolfe Field and a new ballpark. The new playing surface will be ready for practice in fall 2008, and renovations to the entire park will be finished in time for opening day in spring 2009.

The Michael J. 1979 and Cynthia Ginn 1980 Biondi Ballpark -- also known as Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park -- will fulfill a vision Mike had several years ago. He covered first base (and captained the infield) for varsity baseball at Dartmouth in the late 1970s. A self-described baseball fanatic who loved nothing more than to play the game with his four sons, Mike died tragically of sudden cardiac arrest last November 12. The conceptual plans for the new ballpark were finalized just before he passed away.

"This gift has special meaning for all of us who have had the privilege to work closely with Cindy and Mike Biondi," said Dartmouth President James Wright. "Always concerned with the welfare of current students, always ready to lend their time and expertise, they have led by example. There was no bigger Dartmouth baseball fan-and, of course, Mets fan-than Mike. We're grateful that this gift will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the game of baseball at Dartmouth, and the wider community."

Mike Biondi was the Co-Chairman of Investment Banking and a managing director at Lazard, and considered one of the nation's top mergers and acquisition bankers. After Dartmouth, he earned an MBA and JD in the joint-degree program at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike was a former member of the President's Leadership Council, vice-chair of the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience, and co-chair of the Dartmouth College Fund Committee.

Cindy Biondi earned an MBA from Wharton after graduating from Dartmouth, and worked as a management consultant in New York. She is a member of the President's Leadership Council at Dartmouth and a vice chair of the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience. She was formerly a co-chair of the Dartmouth College Fund Committee, co-chair of the Class of 1980 20th Reunion Giving Committee, and an alumni fund volunteer. She is a director for the Breast Cancer Alliance and the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich.

The Biondis' philanthropy to Dartmouth includes the Cynthia and Michael Biondi 1979 Family Fund for Scholarship and generous gifts to the Dartmouth College Fund, Athletic Sponsor Program, and Friends of Baseball.

Renovations will include construction of a new synthetic FieldTurf surface, permanent seating for 650 spectators with the ability to add more than 1,000 temporary seats along the first- and third-baselines, dugouts, batting cages, bullpens, a new scoreboard, press box, and landscaping.

"This ballpark will satisfy our programmatic needs, and allow a sport with a storied history at Dartmouth to be as successful as it can be," said Josie Harper, director of athletics and recreation. "At the northernmost Ivy League school, the weather isn't always so kind to spring sports. The artificial playing surface will greatly enhance our ability to practice and compete on the field."

Robert "Red" Rolfe, Dartmouth Class of 1931, played ten seasons with the New York Yankees and was his alma mater's athletic director from 1954 to 1967.

Leverone Field House

Leverone Field House, which provides two acres of indoor artificial turf practice area and an indoor track, underwent a $5 million renovation in 2001. Among the upgrades are structural changes to the roof and a resurfaced floor. In addition, the facility now boasts a top-notch lighting system, mechanical curtains and an advanced sound system. The Big Green holds its winter practices at the Field House, which includes two permanent batting cages and pitching mounds.

Floren Strength Training Center

The Big Green will utilize a state-of-the-art varsity weight room in the recently completed Floren Varsity House. This versatile new building was made possible by a $10 million leadership gift from Olivia and Doug Floren '63 of Greenwich, Conn. and their family. The new 10,000-square foot strength center in the Floren Varsity House will allow students to undergo effective strength, power, plyometric, agility, flexibility and conditioning programs under the supervision of head strength coach Bob Miller. New equipment in the strength center will benefit all 34 of Dartmouth's varsity programs. Equipment in the Floren Varsity House weight room includes:

20 platforms & racks	3 belt squat machines	3 sets of iron dumbbells
4 cable lat pulldowns	4 Russian boxes	Assorted hammer machines
8 glute and hamstring machines	12 cardio machines	6 adjustable cable columns