Inside the Dome

Loyola celebrated the dedication and official opening of the Air Dome at Sean Lugano Memorial Field at Ridley Athletic Complex on Jan. 17, 2018.

The dome, which is a temporary structure to provide indoor practice space for Loyola Athletics during the winter months, was privately funded through philanthropy. The dome covers all of Lugano Field, the practice turf for men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer and the rugby team’s home field at Ridley Athletic Complex.

“The Air Dome gives Loyola student-athletes the opportunity to have an indoor practice option that is unique to our area,” said Charley Toomey, ’90, head coach of the Greyhounds men’s lacrosse team.

“Thank you to those who have financially invested in this facility and shared in our vision of delivering a premier experience to our student-athletes,” Toomey said.

Among the donors supporting the Air Dome is the family of Sean Lugano, ’95, who had initially raised $1 million to name the field in Lugano’s memory after he died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

When Sean’s brother, John Lugano, first learned about the plans for the Air Dome, John was worried that Loyola had a bigger donor and would be changing the name of the field. Loyola reassured him that even with the Air Dome in place, the field would remain Sean Lugano Memorial Field as a tribute to Sean.

The Lugano family has generously offered to donate to the Air Dome two years’ worth of funds from the annual fundraiser they hold in Sean’s memory.