High winds of over 100 miles per hour wreaked havoc in Tulsa over the weekend, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The city’s college football stadium, Chapman Stadium, bore the brunt of the fierce winds, resulting in significant damage to the facility.
Tulsa residents were left stunned as the winds downed a light post and twisted a goalpost at the University of Tulsa’s Chapman Stadium.
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported thus far, but the university will now face forced renovations to restore the stadium to its former glory.
Winds were so strong they bent this giant stadium light pole from The University of Tulsa’s football field. #okwx @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/J8qJC8qMF8
— Tony Russell (@TonyRussellTV) June 18, 2023
Local news outlet KTUL’s TJ Eckert captured the extent of the damage in striking photos shared on Twitter. Debris littered the field, with a towering light pole toppling over and crashing onto the school’s basketball facility, the Reynolds Center.
“It’s a sight to behold,” remarked Eckert, emphasizing the power of the winds. “Goalposts are usually quite sturdy, so for them to be folded like pretzels, you can only imagine the force required.”
Couple other angles of the storm damage at Chapman Stadium in Tulsa.
Golden Hurricane down a stadium light pole and a goalpost. #okwx pic.twitter.com/uqfYWRuvwo
— TJ Eckert (@TJEckertKTUL) June 18, 2023
The university’s basketball team, under first-year head coach Eric Konkol, had a challenging season in the American Athletic Conference last year, finishing with a disappointing record of 5-25. The team now faces an additional setback as they contend with the aftermath of the windstorm.
In contrast, the football program is preparing for its upcoming season under new head coach Kevin Wilson, previously the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
The team will have ample time to complete the necessary repairs before their first game at the end of August. Nonetheless, the stadium damage is expected to cause some inconvenience for the football team.
Tulsa got hammered by strong damaging winds around midnight. Video of that and storms from earlier. #okwx pic.twitter.com/2t4nkd8bQW
— Brian Emfinger (@brianemfinger) June 18, 2023
As Tulsa begins the recovery process, the resilient spirit of the community shines through. The city will unite in support of the university’s restoration efforts and eagerly anticipate the upcoming football campaign under the leadership of Coach Wilson.
While the winds may have dealt a heavy blow to Chapman Stadium, Tulsa remains undeterred, ready to rebuild and come back stronger than ever.