A groundbreaking ceremony took place at the stadium with university officials, community partners and other dignitaries in attendance.

Zack Zeigler, assistant athletic director for communications and engagement at WU, served as emcee for the event. Speakers included Wheeling University President Dianna Vargo; Carrie Hanna, athletic director for WU; and the Most Rev. Mark Brennan, bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Diocese, who also blessed the project and all those involved.

Vargo thanked Tom Contraguerro, vice president of operations for Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, and Robert Contraguerro, president and owner of Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, for Panhandle’s donation of $500,000 toward the project. She also thanked Brittni Staley, coordinator of sponsorship and giving for WesBanco, and Matt Drahos, Wheeling market president for WesBanco, for the bank’s $500,000 donation toward the project.

Phase 1 will include the installation of a new turf playing surface along with new long jump and pole vault pits. Phase 2 of the project will be the installation of a new track surface around the field. Phase 3 will be the installation of a new video board. Phases 2 and 3 will require additional fundraising.

Photo by Shelley Hanson The Most Rev. Mark Brennan, bishop of the Wheeling-Charleston Catholic Diocese, blesses the field project and all those involved during the groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday at Wheeling University.

AstroTurf Corp. of Pittsburgh has been hired to do the work. The first phase is anticipated to be complete in time for the 80th annual Rudy Mumley Ohio Valley Athletic Conference All-Star Football Camp in July.

“Your generosity will allow us to complete the stadium improvement project and enhance campus life for all of our students,” Vargo said. “Both of you represent all that is good with the Wheeling community. You support our students. You hire our graduates. And you are there when the administration needs you. Wheeling University is privileged to call you our partners and we are most humbled by your generosity.”

Hanna said the school was looking forward to hosting its own athletic events at the field and future community events as well.

“We want to be Wheeling’s university,” Hanna said. “We want to host these things and we want you to enjoy this beautiful campus. We want to thank everyone who has made this possible and for these major gifts and major donors.”

Brennan noted the Catholic faith has “a holistic sense of human beings.”

Photo by Shelley Hanson Donors for the field renovation project attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Wheeling University on Tuesday. From left are Brittni Staley, coordinator of sponsorship and giving for WesBanco; Matt Drahos, Wheeling market president for WesBanco; Tom Contraguerro, vice president of operations for Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration; and Robert Contraguerro, president and owner of Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration.

“It’s not just a soul and a mind, but also body. All parts of us need to be developed,” he said. “And so athletics, sports, are not foreign to our faith and are very often important parts of it.”

Following the ceremony, Robert Contraguerro said Panhandle liked the project and wanted to partner with the other organizations involved.

Wheeling University shares the field with Wheeling Central Catholic High School, which uses it for home football games and lacrosse matches.

Photo by Shelley Hanson Chris Siegle, regional sales manager for AstroTurf Corp. of Pittsburgh, talks with Wheeling Central Catholic High School football Coach Mike Young during the groundbreaking ceremony for field renovations at Wheeling University on Tuesday.

Photo by Shelley Hanson Wheeling University’s current turf field is about 10 years old.