At his 75th birthday celebration, George Davis ’63 received an unexpected gift from his son, Kevin. It was a framed photo of an architectural rendering, presented without explanation.

George wasn’t wearing his glasses and was about to put it down when his grandson Ben said, “Look a little closer, Pops.”

There it was in big, bold letters: GEORGE E. DAVIS ’63 TRACK

“I never expected this in my lifetime,” says George, the founding coach of UMass Lowell’s cross country and track and field programs, a three-time Hall of Fame inductee, and a 20-time NCAA Division II Coach of the Year Award recipient. “I’m trying to put it in perspective somehow. All the track facilities I traveled to in my career, they were almost always named for someone. Now I’m one of those people.”

The 200-meter George E. Davis ’63 Track is a key feature in ALLWell North that will reestablish PSU’s varsity track and field program. It’s a fitting honor for George, a first-generation college student who credits his Plymouth State education as the foundation for his illustrious 33-year career, which includes coaching 78 All-Americans and 34 New England champions.

“It means the world to our family to be able to recognize my dad’s accomplishments and his leadership in athletics at his favorite university, his alma mater,” says son Kevin, president and CEO of Bauer Performance Sports. “I hope this gift will inspire others to see the future and help the university and community continue to thrive.”

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