The Pride takes pride in the new WVU marching band facility.
The Pride of West Virginia marching band is guaranteed to start the 2025 football season on a high note. Its new practice facility at Med Fields on Chestnut Ridge Road, including the relocated band tower and a new, fully marked artificial turf field named after band legend Don Wilcox, will be ready in time for the school year.
The band’s previous practice space doubled as a parking lot for sporting events, says sophomore saxophone player Carson Phillips, resulting in scheduling issues on game days and uncomfortable working conditions on the hot and rocky surface.
“People would go and get volleyball kneepads so their knees weren’t destroyed by the cement and gravel,” Phillips says. “After Daylight Savings Time, we would be practicing in the dark.”
The new facility provides the stadium lighting that Pride members need to rock to their full potential. Future plans include a storage building and a covered pavilion.
Phillips says he is proud that the university is supporting the Pride and helping the group do its best work. He hopes the space will add to group camaraderie and encourage new members to join.
“As a band member, I like seeing that the university is taking interest and pride in their marching band,” he says. “Giving us a facility like this really shows how much they care.”
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