Madison, Wis. (October 15, 2026) – Edgewood University has officially marked the start of a project that will impact students and Greater Madison for generations to come. Today, on a rainy October afternoon, officials with the University and the City of Fitchburg broke ground on the new Athletics and Wellness Campus in Fitchburg, Wis.
“It is a great day for our students, for our institution, for our community, and for the future of Edgewood University,” President Andrew Manion, said. “The addition of this Athletics and Wellness campus begins a new era for the vibrant learning community that was established nearly a century ago by our Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa.”
The 40-acre site will become the home of Eagle Athletics, with competition spaces for baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, and an indoor golf and training facility. The new Campus will also restore and preserve 12 acres of native wetlands, expanding opportunities for environmental science education and recreation for students and visitors alike.
The $30 million project will not only serve a growing student-athlete population at Edgewood University, it will also enhance wellness and recreational opportunities for all students, and for the community. Located just minutes from the University’s Monroe Street campus, this transformational project will support current and future generations of students while strengthening connections with alumni, families, youth organizations, and community partners.
Margaret O’Brien, O.P., an alumna and a former member of the faculty at Edgewood University, gave a blessing at the end of the ceremony. She grew up visiting the property, when it was owned and operated as a farm by her relatives. O’Brien, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, said in part “Creator God, we bless this holy ground and give thanks for the land that sustained the O’Brien family, especially Cornelius O’Brien, who bought it in 1909 for his son Emmet, my grandfather’s brother… We gladly repurpose this land, we do so moved by the Dominican values of Truth, Justice, Compassion, Community and Partnership, confident that the students who work and play here will grow in opportunities to live these values now and for a lifetime.
“We bless the Athletics and Wellness Campus rooted in the Dominican values, and we bless the students who will find abundant opportunities to live these values in their everyday lives.
“May this be a safe, welcoming place for all races and religions. As the land once yielded crops, may it nurture growth in athletics, health, wellness and education. May all grow through victory and defeat, gaining strength and recognizing the Creator in one another.
“Bless all who come here to teach, learn and grow. Amen.”
About Edgewood University
Located in Madison, Wis., Edgewood University is a comprehensive, Catholic university in the Dominican tradition. We serve more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Edgewood University offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, and nursing, and doctoral degrees in educational leadership, nursing practice, business administration, and occupational therapy. Edgewood University is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the National Collegiate Athletics Association and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information about Edgewood University, please visit www.edgewood.edu.
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