Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium, capacity 29,181 was built in 1950 and remains one of the most picturesque football facilities in America. A state-of-the-art $1 million artificial turf surface was installed in the summer of 2005 enhancing this breathtaking stadium, which sits between the Snowy Range of the Rocky Mountains to the West and the Laramie Range to the East. At an elevation of 7,220 feet War Memorial is the highest Division I football stadium in America. Prior to the beginning of the 2010 season, the new Wildcatter Stadium Club and Suites opened. The Wildcatter features 12 individual suites along with a stadium-club area that contains 256 indoor seats. The suites and club area is named The Wildcatter after the many successful "Wildcatters" of Wyoming. A Wildcatter is a person who displays the strength and courage to risk drilling oil or gas wells in areas where there is no guarantee that oil or gas will be found. With the crowd noise, elevation and outstanding Cowboy teams, Wyoming's home field has long been one of the most feared places to play in college football. The Cowboys have won over 68 percent of their games at War Memorial Stadium. The stadium is no stranger on the national scene, as it has hosted the likes of Texas, Kansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Virginia since 2000. In 2011, the Cowboys will host the Nebraska Cornhuskers in War Memorial. "The War" opened on Sept. 16, 1950, with a 61-13 win over Montana State, followed by an official dedication the following week on Sept. 23 versus nationally-ranked Baylor. The Cowboys won that game 7-0. Some of the great Wyoming coaches to walk the sidelines in War Memorial Stadium include Bowden Wyatt, Phil Dickens, Bob Devaney, Lloyd Eaton, Fritz Shurmur, Fred Akers, Pat Dye, Paul Roach and Joe Tiller. Former Cowboy head coaches Wyatt, Devaney and Dye have all since been inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame. |
