Years in discussion, the project will give both Catawba College and RSS access to a regulation track and field complex designed for shared use by students and the broader community.
The facility will meet NCAA and North Carolina High School Athletic Association standards and include an eight-lane track, field event areas, lighting for evening events, and new public restrooms. Construction is expected to begin in early spring 2026, with hopeful completion in spring 2027.
For Catawba College, the project fulfills a long-standing need. Its track and field teams, recognized nationally for academic and athletic excellence, have never had a home competition site in Salisbury. The partnership will allow the College to expand its program while creating a shared resource for students across the community.
“This partnership is an expression of what can happen when institutions place students at the center of their work,” said Dr. David P. Nelson, president of Catawba College. “Together, we’re investing in their future and in the good economy of Salisbury.”
For the Rowan-Salisbury School System, the facility extends the district’s vision for J.H. Knox Intermediate School, a $55 million rebuild of the former Knox Middle School. The new campus, opening in 2027, emphasizes sustainable design and career-connected learning.
“This partnership will provide a unique opportunity for our students and our community,” said Dr. Kelly W. Withers, RSS superintendent. “The investment in this project reflects our confidence that we are preparing a new space at J.H. Knox that inspires students’ passions and helps prepare them for their future paths. We are grateful to Catawba College and the Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation for sharing our vision of excellence and helping us provide an unparalleled facility for all.”
The Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation, a fixture of Salisbury philanthropy, called the project one of its most significant undertakings.
“When this opportunity came before our Board, we recognized how powerfully it could serve both education and community,” said Susan Kluttz, chair of the Foundation. “Rowan-Salisbury Schools had the land but limited resources; Catawba had the need but no space. This partnership brought those strengths together. It represents the largest gift in our 28-year history and a lasting investment in the future of Salisbury.”
The new track will adjoin Catawba’s 189-acre ecological preserve, underscoring the College’s leadership in environmental stewardship and its achievement of carbon neutrality in 2023.
When complete, the complex will host intercollegiate and high school meets, student athletics, and community events—a place built not only for competition, but for the shared work of building a stronger, more connected Salisbury.
Image: This is a preliminary rendering of the new track and field facility. The final facility may be edited based on final plans.
