Furman University, which over the years has claimed seven Southern Conference titles in track and field and 20 league cross country championships, dedicated the Irwin Belk Complex for Track and Field in 1997 and oversaw a complete renovation of the track surface in 2022.
The facility is named in honor of its principal benefactor, Irwin Belk, the son of William Henry Belk and the founder of the Belk merchandising empire. Irwin Belk, a longtime leader in business, the arts, politics, and education in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he set a number of records in track. As a philanthropist, Belk has given the lead gift for track and field complexes at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and now Furman, and is dedicated to the advancement of the sport.
In addition to the newly renovated surface, Furman also cut ribbon to a new "Blue Shoes Track House” in the fall of 2018. This space provides shelter for the runners during inclement weather and contains a meeting room, lockers, and restroom facilities. Furman University graduate Chris Borch ’78 and his wife, Andrea, have given more than $4 million over the past decade to support the university’s track and cross-country program, including a $1 million gift in 2017, a portion of which went toward the construction of the track house.
In addition to the track complex at Furman, the team also enjoys unlimited access to their home cross country course located on the Furman University Golf Course. The course consists of spectator friendly 2k-looped course for both 6K and 8K competitions. The Furman course was the site of the 1997 and 2001 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships.
