LARAMIE – Groundbreaking for the University of Wyoming Aquatics Center was during the week of Nov. 5 and the facility, which will greatly benefit the Cowboys and Cowgirls swimming and diving teams, will be completed in the summer of 2026.

UW has been highly competitive under head coach Dave Denniston. The Cowgirls are 5-0 in duals to begin this season, including a Border War win at Colorado State, while the Cowboys are 2-1 with a win over rival Air Force.

However, 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," UW head swimming and diving coach Dave 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 is the architect and GE Johnson Construction Company is the builder for the Aquatics 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 can also swim the width of the pool, which is 25 yards and will have 20 lanes.
 
The Aquatics Center, which will be located at the southeast corner at the intersection of North 22nd Street and East Willett Drive, will also support the university's campus recreation program, including locker rooms.
 
The project will also 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.

"I believe the breathtaking architecture and the flow of the facility will be a discussion point for anyone visiting. In the end, this new pool will allow Wyoming swimmers to thrive for years to come."