The University of Louisiana Monroe originally competed as a junior college when it was founded in 1931. Advancing from Ouachita Parish Junior College to Northeast Louisiana University to what is now ULM, this team from Monroe has undergone many changes including a mascot shift from Indians to Warhawks in 2006. The little town in the northeastern nook of Louisiana is home to Malone Stadium, named after James Malone, the winningest coach in school history. Uniquely shaped with a thin steep grandstand looking down and across the field upon a more traditional style set of bleachers, Malone Stadium has developed a well worn ambiance since opening in 1978.
The gameday experience begins with a gathering outside the stadium a few hours prior to kickoff. Fans await the arrival of the ULM football team to cheer them on to victory. Leading the parade of players is Ace the Warhawk and the spirit squad. The ULM “Sound of Today” Marching Band adds aural flavor to the team walk. Folks follow the band over to Pecan Grove, the epicenter of tailgating. Under the arboreal shade, The Sound of Today conducts a pep rally blasting fan favorites and emphatically closing the show with the fight song. Tents, trucks, and tables fill with fans, food, and festivity delivered with a cajun flair.
The Warhawk nickname has rapidly embedded itself into the culture of ULM gamedays. Adopted in 2006, the mascot name honors Major General Claire Lee Chennault and his World War II air unit who flew Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter planes. Chennault has strong ties to Louisiana including an aviation museum bearing his name in Monroe. The planes are fierce. An open-mouthed and sharp-toothed grimace wraps around the front of the aircraft just below its nose. Typically associated with these planes, this oversized sinister expression is a fighting emblem seen on fan gear, jerseys, and helmets. The Warhawk moniker has found a good home at ULM as it represents pride for both team and state.
Inside Malone Stadium, all the pregame spectacle converges to celebrate the love for ULM. The Sound of Today keeps pulsating even during periods of gridiron dismay. Ace the Warhawk patrols the sidelines and bleachers donning his bomber jacket and aviator goggles. Warhawk fighter plane symbols throughout the stadium signal this team’s tenacious spirit. It’s football in the south, which is notorious for its pageantry.
ULM is not a chart topper compared to the wide expanse of college football gamedays that boast tremendously spectacular and nationally known traditions. But, Monroe reminds of us of how college football teams that don’t meet the mainstream model are forced to make their mark through unique methods. The way this school has embraced the legacy of the P-40 fighter plane demonstrates how a powerful symbol can embolden the pride of both a school and its surrounding region. ULM helps make college football special because their pocket of Louisiana pride contributes to the grand landscape of this American sport.
