Dedication of the Graham Indoor Practice Facility

Thanks Peter. It's been great to have you as Interim AD at such an exciting and transformative time for the college, including athletics. And what a great day for Dartmouth athletics this is!

We all know that Dartmouth is committed to preparing students to lead lives of leadership and impact. It's just what we do. Perhaps more than anything else, that's the reason we value and invest in our athletic programs.

Athletics are among the purest forms of experiential learning that happen on our campus. Student-athletes learn skills that extend far beyond the playing field—determination, resilience, integrity, teamwork. Those attributes, inherent in sport, are among the most valuable and transferrable skills today, which is why I'm thrilled to be providing our student-athletes with a state-of-the-art facility to support their training and development.

When we first conceived of the idea for the Indoor Practice Facility, I couldn't have imagined how powerfully our community would respond or how beautifully it would turn out.

As I walked into the new, 70,000-square foot facility for the very first time, I was overcome with pride – much like the pride that all of us feel when our Dartmouth student-athletes step onto the playing fields.

Together, alumni, families, and friends contributed $41 million to make this facility and the neighboring Reilly Pavilion possible, with 14 families giving remarkable gifts of $1 million or more. I'm so grateful for the collective generosity of the Dartmouth community.

To each and every one of you who contributed to this project and stuck with us through our negotiations with the town and neighbors and the subsequent delays brought about by the pandemic, thank you! We simply couldn't have gotten to this day without you.

I especially want to thank Rich and Christie Reilly, whose outstanding support of the facility is being recognized through the naming of Reilly Pavilion… And, of course, our lead donors, the incredible Graham Family – a multi-generational Dartmouth family whose commitment to providing the very best for our student-athletes is second to none.

Please join me in giving them a big round of applause.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Don Graham while I was Provost at Michigan. Don is a proud Michigan grad, but four of his five children, as well as some of his grandchildren, chose to attend Dartmouth – and he's selflessly shared his loyalties with Hanover and Ann Arbor ever since.

Having all played college sports, Don and his family recognize the value of athletics and the life lessons it teaches. So, when I approached them about this facility, they were eager to lead the charge.

They immediately understood the importance of another indoor venue for Dartmouth. They knew that Leverone Fieldhouse was overused and could not support the variety of needs we had, especially during the harsh winter months.  And they partnered with us to do something about it.

Don, I couldn't be more grateful to you and your family, many of whom are with us today, for your leadership in making the Graham Indoor Practice Facility the best in the Ivy League and a reality for Dartmouth athletics.

There is no doubt in my mind that this facility will deeply enrich the competitiveness of our Big Green teams and the individual experiences of Dartmouth student-athletes for generations to come.

Here to tell us just how much this means to our field teams is head football coach, Buddy Teevens, who has gotten the Big Green off to a great start on the gridiron this fall. Standing undefeated at 4-0 after a thriller of a Homecoming win against Yale in OT last weekend, we just might see another Ivy championship ahead.

Please welcome Buddy Teevens.