Archbishop McNicholas High School in Mount Washington will break ground Oct. 20 on a new turf baseball complex funded by the largest donation in the school's history.
The Byrne Family Baseball Complex, named for 1983 alumnus Kerry Byrne and his wife, Missy, will renovate the current baseball field inside the campus athletic area known as "Paradise." The project includes a turfed playing surface, batting tunnels, a movable pitcher's mound, improved dugouts and bullpens, and expanded Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, WCPO reported Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The gift amount was not disclosed.
Beyond baseball, the turf field will serve soccer, lacrosse, cross country, football and softball, along with sports-performance training. The school said in its announcement that the surface should cut the rain-related postponements that plague spring schedules and give the school's more than 500 student-athletes additional practice space on the nearly 48-acre campus.
Paradise currently houses Penn Station Stadium, two additional practice fields and the baseball and softball diamonds. The school's athletics page had already listed new dugouts, bleachers and a new softball playing surface as "in the works" before the Byrne Complex announcement.
"The education, faith, discipline and friendships I gained during my time as a Rocket created a foundation that has stayed with me throughout my life," Byrne said in an Oct. 13 statement. He and Missy said they are honored to help future students grow academically, athletically and spiritually.
Byrne went on to spend 17 years at Fifth Third Bancorp before joining Total Quality Logistics (TQL) in 2005. He became TQL's president in 2021 and now serves on the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees. TQL is the second-largest freight brokerage firm in North America.
McNicholas President Bob Noll said the complex also supports the school's plan to renovate academic spaces.
The groundbreaking ceremony is set for noon Tuesday, Oct. 20, on campus.
