Groundbreaking for the $65 million University of Wyoming Aquatics Center occurred in November 2024 and construction is now under way on the facility, which is slated for completion in the summer of 2026.
While the university has been highly competitive under head coach Dave Denniston, the program hosts home meets at Laramie High School instead of the smaller pool in the aging on-campus John Corbett Building.
"This pool didn't just happen. It has been discussed by administrators, previous coaches, students, athletes, state legislators and senators for over two decades," Denniston said.
"Our athletics director, Tom Burman, made sure this project was going to be completed on his watch. His tenacity and unwillingness to throw in the towel the multiple times that it looked like it would never happen has to be commended. I've enjoyed working with Mr. Burman on this project to see it come to life and I believe the end result will be a crown jewel for this athletic department."
The Arete Design Group of Sheridan, Wyo., is the architect and GE Johnson Construction Co., which has a Jackson, Wyo., office, is the builder for the center, which will include a 50-meter pool with 10 lanes and a separate dive well with 3-meter and 5-meter platforms as well as 1-meter and 3-meter spring boards.
There will be new locker rooms for the men's and women's teams. The Pokes also can swim the width of the pool, which is 25 yards and will have 20 lanes.
The Aquatics Center, which will be at the southeast corner at the intersection of North 22nd Street and East Willett Drive, also will support the university's campus recreation program.
The project also will help the coaching staff to recruit and develop future Cowboys and Cowgirls to make the program even more competitive.
‘This 50-meter facility will be the second one in the state of Wyoming and I know the varsity swimmers are looking forward to training in that space and sharing the love of the sport with the people of Wyoming through camps and competitions,' Denniston said. ‘The new pool will be far superior to the pool in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center and will allow us to push the upper echelon of what is possible in our sport both on a national collegiate level as well as internationally."
Project funding includes $15 million from two sources of university-related state major maintenance funds, $30 million from the state general fund, $19.8 million from university construction reserve accounts and $500,000 from donors, according to cowboystatedaily.com.
