It’s two hours before the Bryant Bulldogs play their home opener against Bentley University and spirits are high among the football team. But Defensive Lineman Hollis Dirstine ’29 still found a moment to talk to a young fan in the stands of the new Navigant Credit Union Field House.
The team is riding high after their first win against an FBS opponent — one of the biggest wins in program history — but that’s just one of the reasons it’s a big day. Today marks the opening of the state-of-the-art, 43,000-square-foot field house, which was custom-built to empower Bryant student-athletes to achieve peak performance and to provide a next-level fan experience for the community cheering them on.
“The new field house is a step above,” said Dirstine. And he’s excited to show it off. “We all want to put on a show for the fans.”
As Christano Andrade ’03 and Lindsey Gamble ’10, former Bryant football players themselves, tour the field house before the game — including the brand-new press boxes and fully-equipped training rooms — they take a host of pictures, capturing the moment. They also find themselves comparing the new amenities to what they had — not out of jealousy, but excitement for the future.
“I think it's amazing,” said Gamble. “Seeing Bryant now, the school, the athletics programs, and the facilities just keep getting better and better. I think all of us are really proud to say that we went here.”
Best days ahead
That sense of pride extends throughout the entire Bryant community, Bill Smith, vice president of Athletics and Recreation, noted at the field house ribbon cutting, held on the field house’s club level. “I am just so incredibly grateful to work at a school that understands and values the importance of athletics and making sure student-athletes have what they need,” he shared.
Navigant Credit Union was Bryant’s first corporate athletics sponsor, Smith said, and that partnership has since blossomed into something incredible — and “a transformational gift to Bryant that has made this incredible facility a reality.”
Bryant’s partnerships with community and corporate leaders like Navigant have been a key factor in the university’s rising rankings and reputation, reflected Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D.
Proclaiming it a good time to be a Bulldog, he noted recent university achievements like winning the America East Commissioners Cup and welcoming the university’s largest class to campus. “The reason we were able to do this is simple: It is because we're Bryant University, which means we're focused on students, and we're focused on student success,” he stated.
The opening of the new field house comes at a time of incredible growth for the school, said Gittell, the result of a Vision 2030 Strategic Plan that has positioned the institution to redefine higher education. “This facility is a bold statement about who we are and, maybe more importantly, it's a bold statement about where we are headed,” Gittell stated.
Kathy Orovitz ’04, president and CEO of Navigant Credit Union, lauded the shared vision that brought her company and alma mater together. “We got behind Bryant’s Vision 2030 a long time ago, and they're just flawlessly executing. So, we're along for this ride with you,” she said.
The Field House, Orovitz noted, was a perfect symbol of the partnership, which extends beyond the field house to include paid internships, leadership programs, and an office on campus to help students with everything from personal finances to class projects.
“This is about more than just putting our name on the building — although that is pretty cool,” Orovitz remarked with a smile.
D. Ellen Wilson ’79, chair of the Bryant University Board of Trustees, concluded by marveling at how Bryant has changed and the excitement surrounding her. “When I graduated in 1979, none of this was here, and I mean, absolutely none of it,” she said. But while the campus has expanded, the university’s values — values, she noted, that Bryant shares with Navigant — have stayed the same.
“As we look ahead, I am filled with optimism, and I think that our best days are ahead,” said Wilson.
Then the Bryant and Navigant Credit Union teams, working together, cut a ceremonial ribbon with pairs of gold scissors and opened a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out onto the field.
Bulldog Pride
As gametime approached, the energy found a way to rise even higher as the field house’s seats quickly filled. Lyla Colangelo ’29 and her friends, decked out in Bryant Black and Gold, were part of the sea of entering fans as the Athletic Band, cheerleaders, and dance team welcomed them in.
They loved the look of the new field house and couldn’t wait to cheer alongside so many other Bulldogs, past and present, said Colangelo.
It turns out the cheering would be non-stop, as the game was every bit the show Dirstine hoped for. From an early blocked punt that the Bulldogs ran in for a score to a brilliant defensive performance, Bryant dominated the game from the moment they roared out of the field house tunnel to the final whistle.
Lanie Myer P ’28, quarterback Brennan Myer’s mother, brought a cowbell, emblazoned with a large Bryant “B,” all the way from Texas and found ample occasions to ring it during the 42-6 victory.
“The boys are so excited to play here, and today means a lot to them,” Myer confided. “All of the alumni and students and others who showed up to create a night like this — it's really special.”
Later, after the game had ended and most fans had gone home, Brennan was still on the field celebrating the win.
He loves the new venue, he said: the locker rooms that look like something the pros might use, the state-of-the-sport facilities, and its sleek look. But most of all, he appreciates the people — the students, alums, parents, staff, and community partners — inhabiting it.
“I feel blessed to have this community,” Myer said.