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School: West Texas A&M University
Location: Canyon, TX
School Colors: Maroon and White
School Mascot: Buffalo
Do outsiders “get” your mascot?: The mascot plays tribute to Charles Goodnight’s buffaloes. Now all the buffalo that dash onto the field share DNA with one of those buffalo (or water bison if you want to be 100% correct). The mascot is named Thunder, after the first. Most people will refer to the buffalo by their nickname instead (like Jack, Liz, or Sadie in recent memory).
School Fight Song: It apparently is the same as Kentucky’s, but the lyrics are similar to Colorado University’s because of the buffalo. WT calls their fight song, On, On, Buffaloes
Traditions: The school has the usual welcome back activities, homecoming bonfire, and town clean-up. We do have ghost stories for each of the dorms. Every spring, a kickball tournament is held at night. The fall brings Oozefest, a mud volleyball tournament.
Geographical Features: West Texas is pretty much flat; however, the second largest canyon in the United States is a short 10 minute drive from the town of Canyon. The campus is green, in contrast to the yellow grass elsewhere.
Architectural Features: Old Main is a rebuilding of the first building on campus, which burned down in the school’s early history. The Fine Arts building was completed in 2006. Jones and Cross Halls are towers near each other. Panhandle-Plains Museum also stands on campus, and is one of the largest history museums in Texas.
Notable Alumni:
Chaun Thompson, a lineman for the Cleveland Browns
Maurice Cheeks, former NBA player and current coach of the 76ers
Terry Funk, wrestler
Anything else we need to know?: The stadium, Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, is named for Frank Kimbrough, the coach with the second-most wins for the team (the first coached during the name change). The stadium opened in the 1950s with media attention from Lyndon B. Johnson, and SI, Time. 20,000 can be seated, but the hills on both sides allow for more fans. The stadium has held more than 20,000 for its 2005 and 2007 Homecoming game. The university opened in 1910 and joined the Texas A&M system in 1990.
