ICC opens new soccer complex on Fulton campus

FULTON, Miss. - Itawamba Community College formally opened its soccer complex at the Fulton Campus with a ribbon cutting last Friday.

The building, which was donated to ICC by First American National Bank several years ago, has been repurposed into a facility that includes a lobby, separate locker rooms for the men's and women's teams, a shared meeting space, training room for pregame and postgame taping and icing of players as well as a laundry room. There are also entrances for each team to access the field and mud rooms to store their soccer cleats. Both teams have storage rooms, and there is a restroom in the lobby where game officials can change clothes before and after games.

"With the addition of volleyball, ICC's staff began work on a preliminary design to free locker room space in the Davis Event Center to accommodate the new team as well as visiting basketball and volleyball players," said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. Contracts were awarded to Pryor Morrow Architects PA and Worsham Brothers Construction, Inc. to bring the initial plans to reality.

Click here to view photos of the new facility

"The formal opening of this signature building is another example of why ICC's facilities are the best anywhere," said ICC's Athletic Director Carrie Ball-Williamson. "It will enable our coaches to recruit some of the best players because it serves as a visual reminder that ICC cares enough about our student-athletes to provide top-notch accommodations. At ICC, we take pride in our student-athletes – 17 of our soccer players earned MACCC academic honors in the spring. Our investment in all of our student-athletes, such as this facility, is an investment in their future, one that will reap significant dividends for many years to come."

Click here to watch the ribbon cutting ceremony 

The coaches will continue to have their offices in ICC's Fitness Center to be more accessible to students in their classes.

When soccer began at ICC in 1996, the first training sessions and matches were on what is now ICC's football practice field. The new soccer field was built in 2004. A few years later, a practice field was added as well as team dugouts and a concession stand/bathroom/storage building. Expansion of the back practice field is currently underway using dirt being hauled from prep work at the new residence hall across the street.

"This facility is a reality today due to a synergy of a donated facility that sits directly in front of our soccer field, the need for locker room space in the Davis Event Center, an extremely successful soccer program and a very talented staff at ICC to plan and oversee this renovation," Allen said. "As with soccer and all sports, it truly took a team to bring us to today."

For more information on ICC soccer, follow ICC Athletics (@LetsGoICC) on social media.