July 6, 2026
NIACC breaks ground on athletic facilities project
MASON CITY - North Iowa Area Community College celebrated the start of the first phase of its "Let's Light 'Em Up" athletic facilities project with a groundbreaking ceremony Monday at the NIACC softball field.
The first phase of the project includes new baseball and softball fields with synthetic turf. The "Let's Light 'Em Up" campaign continues to raise funds for additional improvements, including field lighting, a future fieldhouse and enhancements to the college's soccer facilities.
College leaders, student-athletes, donors, alumni and community members gathered to celebrate the milestone and recognize the support that has helped move the project forward.
"(Monday's) groundbreaking is an exciting first step in bringing our vision for NIACC Athletics to life," said NIACC President Joel Pedersen. "These new baseball and softball fields are just the beginning of what's possible. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our NIACC Foundation and donors, we're moving this project forward, and we're excited to continue building on that momentum. Together, we're creating opportunities for our student-athletes, our campus and the entire North Iowa community."
The new synthetic turf fields will provide more consistent playing conditions and increase opportunities to host athletic events on campus.
As fundraising continues, the college plans to add lights to the baseball and softball fields, construct a fieldhouse and make additional improvements that will expand opportunities for student-athletes and the community.
"This is a game changer for our baseball and softball programs at NIACC," NIACC athletic director Ryan Flickinger said. "These new fields will allow our student-athletes to spend more time practicing and competing outdoors, extend our seasons and bring Trojan baseball back to campus. It's an exciting step forward for our programs.
"This project is about more than NIACC Athletics. These fields will be a tremendous asset for North Iowa by creating opportunities to host high school games, tournaments and other events that bring visitors to Mason City and support local businesses. We're excited about what this project means for our student-athletes, our community and the future of Trojan athletics."
The "Let's Light 'Em Up" campaign remains underway, with gifts continuing to support future phases of the project.
Individuals, businesses and organizations interested in contributing can learn more or make a gift by visiting www.niacc.edu/lightemup.
