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Hartnell College is excited to announce that the Gary Shaw Track and Bill Elliott Football Field will officially reopen to the public on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, following a ribbon-cutting and grand reopening ceremony. The event is free and open to the public and will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hartnell College Main Campus (corner of College Drive and Hartnell Street).

After being closed for significant upgrades and renovations since February, the Gary Shaw Track and Bill Elliott Football Field are ready to welcome the community back. The newly resurfaced track and enhanced facilities will provide an upgraded environment for student-athletes, community members, and fitness enthusiasts. These improvements will offer safer, higher-quality student training and competition spaces, recreational exercise, and community events, furthering Hartnell College's commitment to promoting athletic excellence, health, fitness, and community engagement.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is family-friendly, and we encourage the public to attend and celebrate. The program will feature remarks from distinguished speakers, light refreshments, and an opportunity to meet Hartnell College students. Attendees will also be able to participate in the inaugural lap around the newly upgraded track, marking a fresh start for the space where both fitness and community spirit can continue to thrive.

These upgrades to the track and field were funded by Measure T, a bond measure approved to support essential infrastructure improvements at Hartnell College, ensuring it remains a vital resource for students and the Salinas Valley community. Additional funding was provided by the Harden Foundation and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.

The public is encouraged to register for this event: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/1BicGsO4GbEZpYiQaZP9Q8q-X6YmChXrdHrguP2knwos/viewform?pli=1&ts=67362a4e&pli=1&edit_requested=true

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For interviews or more information about Hartnell College, contact: Richard Morales, Director of Communications & Marketing, at 831-755-6858 (direct), 831-206-9422 (cell), rmorales@hartnell.edu.

About Hartnell College

Located in the heart of Salinas Valley, Hartnell Community College District is a leading institution serving over 12,000 students annually across our main campus in Salinas, the Alisal Campus, and education centers in King City, Castroville, and Soledad. HCCD is a Seal of Excelencia Certified institution and a recognized Hispanic-serving institution since 2000. We offer associate and bachelor's degrees and certificate programs to prepare students for successful transfer to four-year universities or immediate entry into the workforce. Learn more about our programs and initiatives at hartnell.edu.

About Gary Shaw

The track is named for legendary coach Gary Shaw, whose 37-year Hartnell career produced scores of championships in men's and women's track and cross country. Under Shaw's leadership, the Hartnell men's team won an incredible 95 percent of the dual meets entered in track and field. The women's team enjoyed similar success, winning 90 percent of dual meets entered. Those wins brought a string of championships as well. Shaw's men's track and field teams won 29 conference titles, including 11 in a row from 1987 to 1987, and the women's team won 15 titles from 1980 to 2006. Men's cross country teams won 10 conferences, and five NorCal titles in his tenure, and the women's teams also won eight conferences and three NorCal titles. He also was an assistant football coach for Hartnell for 19 years, including much of the '80s – a golden age for the maroon and gold.

About Bill Elliott

The football field is named for Bill Elliott, a proud Hartnell College Football alum and an enthusiastic and generous supporter of Hartnell Athletics and its student-athlete competitors. Elliott is remembered as a lifelong talented athlete in many sports, an All-American Junior College Center for the Hartnell Football team in 1957-1958, and a San Jose State University Spartans football player. Elliott's enduring legacy is lovingly preserved by his wife, Barbara. The generosity of both husband and wife continues to benefit Panther student-athletes through the Bill Elliott Scholarship program and their support of scholarships, uniforms, equipment, travel, and facilities.