Oklahoma Christian University has started construction to restore the Ray Vaughn Track. The long-awaited $700,000 project began in August 2021 with fundraising beginning years before that, and restorations are predicted to finish in November 2021.
Renovations include a new surface on the track, updates to the field areas and stands, and improvement to the general facility atmosphere. The new track will allow the team to
practice on campus and host meets at Oklahoma Christian.
Oklahoma Christian athletic director David Lynn spoke on how much this project means to the entire athletic department.
“It will be a huge blessing to have our Track and Field Student Athletes staying on campus for practice everyday. We are very grateful to all of the families and alumni that have given to the project.” Lynn said “The impact that will have on our current and future teams is massive.”
Sophomore Bryah Davis spoke of her excitement about the new track.
“I’m super excited the OC track and field family has something we can call our own,” Davis said.
The current track was built in the early 1990s and has not hosted a meet since 2010. The track and field program has not practiced at their home facility in a few years due to major deterioration of the current surface.
“Obviously it will be more convenient for us,” Davis said. “To finally be able to practice here on campus and potentially hold a meet means a lot to our program.”
Oklahoma Christian track and field have been working on raising the money to make this happen for a couple of years. Athletes raised money while staff and administration were trying to get donors.
Sprinter Verrell McBride said he is excited for the new project to finally come to fruition.
“This has been something that has been at work for a while and we have wanted for even longer,” McBride said.
The addition of a new facility means everything to the track and field program.
“Not being able to compete or even practice at our home track can be difficult,” McBride said. “We have been wanting to be able to do these things here on campus since I got here and it is finally happening, we can’t wait for it to be done and to show it off.”
As of now, the old surface is completely removed and the new surface will soon be set in. Various updates around the area will continue through the coming months.
Both McBride and Davis said that the new track marks a new page in the track and field program. Expressing just how much this means to the athletes.
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