To compete in 24 different sports ranging from field hockey and ice hockey to golf and rowing, Mercyhurst College has expanded its main campus and North East campus to help meet the demand for quality athletic facilities.
At the college, the Lakers main sports center rests at the edge of the campus. The Mercyhurst Athletic Center houses the athletic offices, the indoor training facility for the crew program and the gymnasium. The basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams host local, regional and national foes at the facility. The MAC holds 1,800 fans.
Directly adjacent to the MAC is the Student Recreation Center, where students have the opportunity to use the weight room, indoor basketball and volleyball courts. Intramural sports and coaching clinics also utilize the 14,000-square-foot building.
Across from the structure stands the Mercyhurst Ice Center. This building has seen its share of exciting moments, including the 1995 NCAA Division II Men's Ice Hockey Championships, two NCAA Division I Women's Ice Hockey Quarterfinals games and several postseason tournaments games. The MIC holds 1,500 spectators and remains in use throughout the year serving the local and Mercyhurst community. The building was renovated during the summer of 2007, and has had several new features installed ever since.
The campus football field, Louis J. Tullio Field, is located behind Baldwin Hall on the south end of the campus. It was dedicated on Oct. 12, 1996. The facility is used for both varsity and intramural sports. The field was converted from natural grass to Astroturf in 1998. In summer 2009, the field underwent another transformation when FieldTurf was installed. Tullio Field also has a press box and a state-of-the-art scoreboard. It has a seating capacity of 2,300.
In summer 2004, the college renovated the soccer field that runs north and south along the far west edge of campus, replacing the natural grass field with synthetic grass. In addition, during that construction effort, a new baseball field, also with synthetic grass, was added. That new field allows the Laker baseball team to return to Erie from its long-time home at Mercyhurst-North East, Phillip D. Hirtzel Field.
Also home to the Lakers is the Pennbriar Athletic Club, which hosts the men's and women's tennis teams, Downing Golf Course, which is home to the men's and women's golf teams. It is also the sight for the annual Mercyhurst Invitational. Just down the road is the softball field. Located in Findley Lake, N.Y., is the Gillard Rowing Center, home to the men's and women's rowing teams. Located in Fairview, Pa., is Pleasant Ridge, home to the men's and women's cross country teams. Finally, located in North East, Pa., is the Mercyhurst North East Aquatic Center, home to the Laker men's and women's water polo teams.
