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by Brett Rhyne
photo courtesy of UNR
WHILE THE CITY OF RENO IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, outdoor activities and gaming excitement, what people don’t always realize is that Reno is also a bustling college sports town, home to the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. Just blocks from the bright neon lights and casinos of downtown Reno, visitors can take in some of the best college athletics in the nation.
The Wolf Pack has always been the “biggest little team” in the “Biggest Little City,” and fans have shown their support and passion for the Wolf Pack since the university was founded in 1874. It’s hard to go one city block without seeing someone proudly displaying their support for the Silver and Blue.
A MEMBER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (WAC), Wolf Pack teams are enjoying an era of unprecedented success with the conference championship trophies and national NCAA appearances. On any given weekend, fans can join the excitement of a Wolf Pack home game in a number of sports. Tickets and parking for sporting events are readily available and affordable, making Wolf Pack athletics a great value.
A stroll through Legacy Hall, the state-of-the-art home of the athletic department, is a treat for any sports fan. Open during business hours, Legacy Hall features displays in tribute to the school’s Hall of Fame recipients.
In the Fall, college football stadiums are one of the most exciting venues in sports, and Nevada’s Mackay Stadium is no exception. The game-day experience at Mackay begins hours before kickoff with tailgating and other activities. On the north of the stadium, Community Corner provides fun for the whole family, including vendor booths, bounce houses and face painting. The north end also features tailgating with discounted food, beverages and entertainment by live bands.
The Wolf Pack football team has made back-to-back bowl appearances in 2005 and 2006 and is making a name for itself on the national scene by continuing to bring some of the strongest teams in the nation to Mackay Stadium.
The winter months bring the excitement of college basketball as fans pack Lawlor Events Center to catch the Wolf Pack men’s and women’s basketball teams. One of the premier facilities in college basketball, Lawlor Events Center seats over 11,000 fans with each spectator enjoying center-court lines of sight.
Nevada basketball tickets are some of the hottest tickets in town, and the teams have never been more successful, with the nationally-ranked Wolf Pack men capturing the last four WAC championships and earning four consecutive NCAA Tournament bids, and the women making the first postseason appearance in school history.
Football and basketball aren’t the only games in town. The 2006 women’s soccer team is coming off the best season in school history, including a WAC title and the program’s first NCAA Championship appearance, while the women’s volleyball team is a perennial NCAA Tournament participant.
Time your trip right and you could watch the Wolf Pack men’s or women’s golf teams tee it up for one of their tournaments or view the women’s cross country squad show off the stamina that comes from training at Reno’s 4,400-foot altitude in a local race.
Depending on the weekend, fans also can head to the pool to watch the women’s swimming and diving team in dual-meet action. Nevada went undefeated and captured the program’s first WAC championship in 2006.
A FULL SLATE OF SPORTING EVENTS IS ALSO ON TAP IN THE SPRING as the Wolf Pack baseball and softball teams swing into action. The baseball team has made four NCAA regional appearances and plays in newly renovated Peccole Park, and the softball team won its first WAC title making the first NCAA Championship appearance in school history in 2006. This spring, the team moved into the new Christina Hixson Softball Complex.
Tennis fans can also catch home dual matches for the Wolf Pack men’s and women’s tennis teams during the spring.
No matter the season, the University of Nevada and the Wolf Pack has something for every sports fan. Schedules and ticket information can be found online at nevadawolfpack.com or by calling the Nevada ticket office at (775) 348-PACK (7225).
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