The heart of Old College Field will soon add an eye-catching entrance thanks to a $2 million gift from the Joe D. Pentecost Foundation. Starting in Spring 2012, the gift will be used to construct Pentecost Plaza at Michigan State’s most historic athletic site and the current home for Spartan baseball, softball and men’s and women’s soccer.
The Pentecost Foundation was established in 2002 upon the passing of Joe D. Pentecost. Joe was an entrepreneur and real estate developer whose love and passion for MSU was evident for more than 35 years as a season ticket holder and loyal donor. During his life, he contributed to the Spartan Stadium Expansion Project, the Berkowitz-Basketball Complex and the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center. The Pentecost Foundation has faithfully continued to carry out Joe’s passion by establishing the Joe D. Pentecost Foundation Scholarship, the naming of the Joe D. Pentecost Football Team Meeting Room and several other special projects. Fittingly, Pentecost Plaza will include a donor recognition wall for others who support MSU.
“We are so pleased to add the Pentecost name to Old College Field,” says Mark Hollis, athletics director. “Joe Pentecost meant a great deal to MSU and his generosity elevated our program, MSU and our entire community. We are tremendously grateful for the ongoing commitment of the Pentecost Foundation to significantly enrich the student-athlete experience and provide a state-of-the-art complex for our coaches to recruit top notch student-athletes.”
Pentecost Plaza will join McLane Baseball Stadium, built in 2009 following a $4 million gift from alumnus Drayton McLane Jr., the Secchia Softball Stadium, completed earlier this year after a lead $1 million gift from alumnus Amabassador Peter F. and Joan Secchia; and a $750,000 lead gift by the Doug DeMartin family in 2008 to construct the new soccer complex.