In the early days of Wichita State University, when it was known as Fairmount College, its first football field was located on the north side of 17th Street, immediately east of the current Henrion Hall, when it was the Henrion Gymnasium. In 1929, concrete bleachers were attached to the east side of the same building for football games. In 1940, the school decided to build a new football stadium on the north side of campus at the current site on the south side of 21st Street. On January 6, 1941, ground was broken for
Veterans Field, and by September 1942 the bowl was excavated, foundations were poured for the west stands, and a quarter of the west bleachers were completed; however, construction was halted due to metal shortages during
World War II. After the war ended, the bleachers were constructed in sections over time as funds were incrementally available. By mid-1946, stands were completed to a point where 6,000 seats were ready by the start of the 1946 football season. Veterans Field was finally completed before the start of the 1948 football season, with 15,000 seats and facilities for the press, concessions stands, and locker rooms. It was dedicated on November 25, 1948 during a football game with the
University of Nevada. The stadium was dedicated to the members of the armed forces from Sedgwick County who served in World War II. In 1967, Wichita State started considering the expansion of Veterans Field. In 1968, faculty and students voted and approved the expansion by adding on top of the existing stands of Veterans Field.
Cessna Aircraft Company pledged a donation of $300,000 for the proposed stadium, and it was renamed to
Cessna Stadium. The cost of the expansion was $1.5 Million, and the school had a fund drive to raise the remaining money. Construction was started on February 7, 1969 and completed in September. It was one of the most modern and complete football facilities in the nation at the time of its completion. Wichita State University rededicated the facility on April 16, 2002 to mark the end of the seven-month, $1.3 million construction that included adding an eighth lane and resurfacing the track, reconfiguring the infield event layout, and building separate locker rooms for the Shocker men's and women's track and field teams, and a reduction of overall seating capacity. The first event in the renovated facility was WSU's annual K. T. Woodman Track and Field Classic. On April 15, 2020, the
Kansas Board of Regents approved demolition of the stadium, citing the high cost of repairs needed. The demolition of the east bleacher began in June 6, 2023. The stadium will be demolished in several phases and will be replaced with a track specific stadium which as of 2024 will be known as
University Stadium. Phase 1B is projected to be completed in April 2026. Phase 2 will start in June 2026 by the demolition of the west grandstand.
Football The Wichita State Shockers football team was an
NCAA Division I football program. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. They played home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the
Missouri Valley Conference when the program was discontinued in 1986. Cessna was the location of a
Pittsburg State-
Mesa State Division II college football game. The stadium has also played host to numerous Kansas State High School Football Championship games, including the
Kansas Shrine Bowl, Kansas's high school all-star football game and
high school football games from nearby
Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School. ==Usage==