MOSCOW, Idaho — The parents of a former University of Utah track and field student-athlete who was killed in 2018 donated $1 million to the University of Idaho track and field program in honor of their daughter.
Lauren McCluskey, a Pullman native, was murdered by a man she briefly dated in 2018. To honor their daughter, Matt and Jill McCluskey donated $1 million to U of I. The money will be used to resurface the indoor track in the Kibbie Dome, which will be named after Lauren.
"We hope that Lauren's light will shine through the current and future athletes who train and compete on what was her home track," the McCluskey family said in a statement. "With this resurfaced track, Lauren will always have a presence in the Kibbie Dome."
Lauren was a Washington high school state champion in the high jump and set the Pullman High School record for 100-meter hurdles. She trained at the Kibbie Dome while growing up in Pullman and was welcomed by U of I student-athletes and coaches.
"We are grateful and honored to receive this generous gift from the McCluskey family," U of I Athletic Director Terry Gawlik said in a statement. "Lauren's legacy of kindness, hard work and competitive spirit will now be permanently etched in the floor of the Kibbie Dome and will impact student-athletes for generations. We hope to continue to honor her and work with the McCluskey family to fulfill the mission of her foundation in meaningful ways."
The resurfaced track will include a Mondotrack Super X surface and will be installed by Wall 2 Wall Commercial Flooring, according to U of I. The track will include U of I branding and Lauren's name, which U of I said will be the largest logo ever integrated into a track.
"We are honored to be part of this project and have the opportunity to help memorialize Lauren McCluskey, her competitive spirit and her love of track and field," Wall 2 Wall Commercial Flooring President Bill Bohrer said in a statement. "The Kibbie Dome is iconic and we are excited to take on the challenge of integrating Lauren's name, along with Idaho branding into our manufacturing process as part of the surface; they will endure for the life of the track. The Lauren McCluskey Track will exhibit speed and beauty and the latest technology. We couldn't be prouder to be a part of this project."
Lauren's parents received a settlement from the University of Utah and its insurers after her death, all of which was donated to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation. The money donated to the University of Idaho was from Lauren's parents and not the settlement. To donate to the Lauren McCluskey Foundation, click here.