The Kentucky track and field program has announced the completion of construction on the Jim Green Track and Field Center. The facility was officially opened on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by Jim Green, the building’s namesake, along with family and friends, University President Dr. Eli Capilouto, UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart, Ambassador Kelly Craft, and UK Track and Field Director and Head Coach Lonnie Greene.
The building, dedicated in honor of Jim Green, who was the first African American student-athlete at Kentucky and in the Southeastern Conference to win both SEC and NCAA championships, will be used by the program for practices throughout the 2023-24 season. The facility encompasses 81,000 square feet and features a 200-meter banked track, which will allow runners to train on a surface that is now standard for NCAA and SEC indoor championships.
Located next to the UK Outdoor Track and the teams’ locker rooms and strength and conditioning areas in Shively Sports Center, the Jim Green Track and Field Center is a significant addition to the program’s infrastructure. Jim Green himself expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am so excited that a little old kid from Eminence, Kentucky has something named after him. I’m thankful and hopeful the new class of young student-athletes get to enjoy this new facility.”
As part of the dedication, a statue of Jim Green was unveiled, depicting him sprinting, along with a list of his accomplishments as a Wildcat. Green is widely recognized as a pioneer of integration in the SEC and was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. He is also an inductee into six other Halls of Fame.
Lonnie Green, head coach of Track & Field and Cross Country, spoke highly of Jim Green, saying, “When I met Jim Green for the first time, the sincerity of the man and who he is just blessed my heart. He was concerned not just about the African American student-athlete, he was concerned about students in general and we thank Jim for being that person who stepped up.”
Despite facing open hostility at many competitions, Jim Green excelled in collegiate sports. He was a two-time NCAA champion, winning the 60-yard dash in 1968 and 1971. He earned All-American honors six times and won eight individual events in the SEC, including the indoor 60-yard dash and the outdoor 100-yard and 220-yard dashes.
As the Wildcats look forward to training in the new facility, they are gearing up for the Rod McCravy Memorial, which will take place on January 12-13 in Louisville, Kentucky. With the Jim Green Track and Field Center now available to them, the program is hopeful for continued success and the development of future student-athletes.
