Ole Miss Names Track Stadium for Donors
Prefontaine gift supports student-athletes, honors family
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has honored a couple's generous support of its athletics programs by naming its track and field stadium in their family's honor.
The Ole Miss Athletics Foundation hosted a dedication ceremony March 21 to recognize Debbie and Andy Prefontaine, of Naples, Florida, for their recent $750,000 donation. The couple had two reasons for the gift, Andy Prefontaine said.
"The first is that we love Ole Miss and are passionate about Ole Miss athletics," he said. "Our gift also allows us to continue to pay it forward in the form of athletic scholarships.
Donor Andy Prefontaine (left) encourages Ole Miss student-athlete Akaoma Odeluga, a sophomore from Chicago, after a ceremony dedicating the university's track and field stadium in his family's honor. Prefontaine and his wife, Debbie, have given $750,000 to support scholarships for student-athletes. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation
"The second reason is to honor my cousin and Olympian, Steve Prefontaine, better known as 'Pre.'"
An avid follower of collegiate sports, Prefontaine became a Rebel fan when his son, Kevin, attended Ole Miss in the mid-1990s. Kevin graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
A few years ago, the couple considered making a gift that would have named the Rebel basketball arena, but decided to wait for other opportunities. When Quinn Kavanagh, assistant athletic director of development, offered a naming opportunity for the track and field stadium, it seemed to be a perfect fit because of the family's passion for running.
"We are extremely grateful for Debbie and Andy's generous gift that punctuates their passion for Ole Miss athletics and their desire to see our student-athletes succeed in both sports and life," Kavanagh said. "And we feel very fortunate to have the Prefontaine name grace our stadium."
While Andy Prefontaine is a self-proclaimed "average marathoner with no accolades," his cousin is long revered among runners.
The late Steve Prefontaine was a world-class runner at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon, and later broke records at the University of Oregon. At 19, Sports Illustrated featured him on its cover and recognized him as America's distance prodigy. He competed in the 1972 Olympics at age 21 and was expected to win gold in 1976, before his accidental death at 24.
Donors Andy (center) and Debbie Prefontaine and their granddaughter Sofia Foley react as Ole Miss student-athlete Tarik Robinson-O'Hagan (left) shows them his championship ring after a ceremony dedicating the university's track and field stadium as Prefontaine Stadium. Robinson-O'Hagan has won three consecutive NCAA championships in the shot put. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation
The Prefontaines hope Ole Miss track and field athletes will look to the Olympian's running prowess for inspiration and encouragement when they compete at Prefontaine Stadium.
"Pre realized that there will always be someone faster, stronger and more athletic, and there are only certain things you can control in life – one being what's in your heart and the other is your will," Andy Prefontaine told the audience at the dedication. "Pre had the heart of a lion and the will of a raging bull! That's a winning combination.
"So, as you athletes walk onto this track, think of Pre's most famous and inspiring quote: 'To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.' That quote applies to athletics as well as life."
Andy Prefontaine built bridges to pay his way through college. He is CEO of Family Leisure, a multistate retailer of swimming pools, outdoor furnishings and recreation equipment. In 2019, he made a planned gift to the university to establish the Andy and Deborah Prefontaine Scholarship Endowment.
"I know financial assistance is important these days with rising tuition costs," said Prefontaine, who made a similar gift to his alma mater, Morehead State University. "Students need scholarship money. Sometimes just a few thousand dollars is the deciding factor on whether a student can attend college or not.
"I came from a very humble background: first-generation American parents who were textile workers. I grew up with very little. So, I know life can be trying, challenging. I know what that's like. I've just been very fortunate, and God blessed my work. I feel like I have an obligation to pay it forward."
At Morehead State, he was a member of the ROTC program's first commissioned graduating class and served as the last president of the Aquila Club before the social organization became the national fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha. After graduating, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served six years as a reserve engineer officer.
Along the way, he met Debbie at a country music venue in Cincinnati, her hometown and the city that launched his retail career. The couple has three children and eight grandchildren.
For information on making a gift to Ole Miss athletics, contact Quinn Kavanagh, assistant athletic director of development, at kavanagh@givetoathletics.com or 309-634-1649.
Top: Donor Andy Prefontaine (right) presents Ole Miss track and field coach Connie Price-Smith with a framed reproduction of Steve Prefontaine's Sports Illustrated cover to be displayed in Prefontaine Stadium. Andy Prefontaine and his wife, Debbie, have given $750,000 to support scholarships for student-athletes. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation