Park Hills, KY – Notre Dame Academy (NDA) recently marked the completion of a significant upgrade to the Buenger Sports Complex, enhancing its status as one of the premier athletic facilities in the Greater Cincinnati region. The newly renovated complex featured a world-class track, resurfaced to meet World Athletics standards, and cutting-edge field turf designed for optimal performance and injury prevention. A dedication ceremony took place on October 29 at 12:45 p.m. to commemorate this achievement, honor the generosity of donors, and bless the upgraded facility with a prayer service and Rosary procession.
The Buenger Sports Complex had long been a cornerstone of NDA athletics, hosting the Diocesan Championship, Middle School Regionals, and other community events throughout the year. The comprehensive renovations represented a substantial leap forward in supporting education-based athletics, offering students and the community a top-tier environment to train, compete, and excel.
The resurfaced track ranked among the best in the region, providing a premium space that met international standards for track and field. With improved cushioning and grip, the new surface enabled athletes to perform at their highest level while significantly reducing the risk of injury.
“The Buenger Sports Complex served our community well for over a decade, but these upgrades set a new standard for excellence,” said Jane Kleier, Interim President of Notre Dame Academy. “We were proud to provide a facility that not only supported our student-athletes’ training and competition needs but also attracted events that brought our community together. We were incredibly grateful to the Clem and Ann Buenger Foundation and our generous donors for making this vision a reality. Ann Buenger, who graduated as Mickie McCabe in 1944, left a legacy that continued to empower young women, and this renovation was a tribute to her enduring dedication.”
In keeping with the significance of October as the month of the Rosary, the dedication ceremony featured a Rosary prayer led by students as they processed around the new track. The NDA community was honored to come together in prayer, asking for the Blessed Mother’s protection over our athletes and the entire school.
The newly installed field turf was another game-changer, engineered to optimize agility and support a range of activities, from soccer to lacrosse. Its innovative design provided superior traction and shock absorption, giving NDA athletes the safest and most dynamic playing experience possible. These advancements reinforced NDA’s commitment to fostering excellence not only in academics but across all areas of student life.
The Buenger Sports Complex upgrades were a testament to NDA’s ongoing dedication to providing a world-class environment for young women to grow, compete, and succeed. These facilities would continue to serve as a vital attraction point, hosting major events and showcasing the tradition and accomplishments of NDA’s athletic programs for years to come.
About Notre Dame Academy
Notre Dame Academy is a Catholic college preparatory school of nearly 500 students in Park Hills, Ky. The only all-girls school in Northern Kentucky, Notre Dame Academy has long embraced the mission of educating young women to make a difference in the world. The school was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1906 and has celebrated more than 100 years of faith-based education in the Catholic intellectual tradition. Through the integration of academics, arts, and athletics, Notre Dame Academy achieves a high rate of success for its students with virtually 100 percent of its graduates going to college and typically 50 percent of its graduates receiving half or more in scholarships upon graduation. NDA has been recognized three times by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. NDA has more than 10,000 alumnae who live and work in 50 states and nine countries. For more information about Notre Dame Academy, visit www.ndapandas.org.
