On Saturday Sept. 29, CWU unveiled the newly renovated Tomlinson Stadium, a project worth $4.5 million that had been in the works since June. The Wildcats lost to West Texas A&M 28 – 26 in a nail biter that went down to the last play. The loss was unfortunate, but the atmosphere around the newly redone stadium was electric.

“We probably have in excess of one thousand fans around the field that do not have seating for the game, and that is just wonderful to see the turn out for our Wildcats,” President James L. Gaudino said.

The stadium renovation was privately funded by donors and, most notably, alumni of CWU. CWU added a newly redone Alumni Plaza to the stadium, which was fully funded by alumni Doug and Sharon Andrews, graduates in the classes of 1968 and 1990.

The Alumni Plaza adds a special and fun atmosphere for students and alumni to feel proud of their university.

“We felt that if we could fund the plaza project and give back to the university, then it would set an example for the future alumni to want to help expand this beautiful university,” Doug Andrews said.

The football players also enjoyed the newly renovated stadium. New turf installed on the field allows for safer play and better traction than the natural grass that covered the field prior to renovations. Additionally, CWU decided to install black turf on both ends of the field sporting the Wildcat name and logo which gives a fresh, new and improved look to Tomlinson Stadium.

Smiles on the faces of the players during pre-game festivities showed that they were excited about what the new stadium had to offer on game night.

“It is the best, no doubt, it is beautiful,” said Wildcat quarterback Reilly Hennessey. “No stadium in our conference compares to it.”

Built in 1959, Tomlinson Stadium had not seen any renovations before now. A facelift for the stadium was long overdue, and the players, fans, donors and faculty are happy with the turnout of the project. Walking into the stadium now gives you a sense of pride on game days.

“There is a buzz around the new stadium and having our families and friends here showing their support for us is absolutely amazing,” head coach Ian Shoemaker said. “We look forward to this kind of atmosphere for years to come.”

If you missed CWU’s first home game, don’t worry; you will have at least three more opportunities to see the renovations this year. CWU will play its next home game Oct. 13 against Western Oregon.