Veterans Memorial Stadium (La Crosse)

Stadium in La Crosse, Wisconsin

Veterans Memorial Stadium
Construction


Location	La Crosse, Wisconsin
Public transit	MTU: 4 Jefferson Lines Wisconsin Coach Lines
Owner	University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Capacity	10,000
Surface	Natural Grass
Broke ground	2008
Tenants
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse

Veterans Memorial Stadium or Veterans Memorial Sports Complex is an outdoor stadium and sports complex in La Crosse, Wisconsin on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. As part of a larger sports complex, it is the home field of the UWL Eagles football and track & field teams. The stadium includes a 10-lane, 400 meter track complex and has hosted several NCAA championships in addition to hosting the annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state high school track and field championships each June. The stadium complex also houses the Veterans Hall of Honor.

History

Originally built as Fairground Football Field, the stadium was built and owned by the City of La Crosse. In 1948 it was dedicated and renamed Veterans Memorial Field in honor of veterans from all wars. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse bought the stadium in 1987 for $1 from the city and later included improvements to the structure and exterior appearances.

Rebuild and expansion

In 2009, Veterans Memorial Complex was fully rebuilt and expanded to increase stadium seating to around 10,000. The $16 million project included improvements with expanded seating, private suites, a media box, food concessions, restrooms, locker rooms, classrooms, and an indoor Veterans Hall of Honor facility. Additional enhancements to the complex included expanded surrounding athletic fields for soccer and intramural sports.

The expansion supported the university as it sought to attract and retain large events such as the annual WIAA state track meet, while having the necessary fields and associated structures to support both UW–La Crosse athletic and recreational activities as well as community events.

In 2023 UWL opened a $49 million indoor fieldhouse adjacent to the stadium. The 144,000-square-foot facility includes a 200-meter indoor track, locker rooms, training rooms, athletic facilities, and space for offices and team meetings.

NFL training

From 1988-1999 the New Orleans Saints used the stadium facilities for the team's summer training camp. The university is said to be interested in attracting another NFL team to the campus.

Gallery

Notes

"Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex".
"Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex". University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
"UW-L to dedicate stadium Sept. 12". UW-La Crosse. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
Walz, Alexia (20 January 2023). "New UW La Crosse Fieldhouse to open on Saturday". News8000.com. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
Whittaker, Rachel (16 July 2015). "This date in New Orleans Saints history: Training camp moves to La Crosse". nola.com. The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 21 October 2023.

External links

v t e Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football
Venues	Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons	1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
Facilities	La Crosse State Teachers College Training School Building Main Hall/La Crosse State Normal School Veterans Memorial Stadium Wittich Hall
Athletics	Football
Media	The Second Supper
Related	University of Wisconsin System

College football venues in Wisconsin

Division I
FBS

Big Ten	Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin)

Division III

CCIW	Art Keller Field (Carthage) Schneider Stadium (Carroll)
MWC	Banta Bowl (Lawrence) Ingalls Field (Ripon) Schneider Stadium (St. Norbert) Strong Stadium (Beloit)
NACC	Raabe Stadium (Wisconsin Lutheran) Century Stadium (Concordia) Taylor Memorial Field (Lakeland)
WIAC	Carson Park (UW–Eau Claire) Don and Nona Williams Stadium (UW–Stout) Goerke Field (UW–Stevens Point) Perkins Stadium (UW–Whitewater) Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium (UW–Platteville) Ramer Field (UW–River Falls) Titan Stadium (UW–Oshkosh) Veterans Memorial Stadium (UW–La Crosse)

43°48′57″N 91°13′34″W / 43.81595°N 91.226177°W / 43.81595; -91.226177

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