Wichita State University to Hold Annual Remembrance for 1970 Football Team Tragedy

Wichita Hutchinson Plus, KS, October 2, 2026 — Wichita State University (WSU) will conduct its annual remembrance ceremony this year, honoring the members of the 1970 Wichita State football team who perished in a tragic plane crash. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at Memorial ’70, a location on the university campus dedicated to the memory of the student-athletes lost in the disaster.

The event serves as an annual tradition for the university community to pay tribute to the lives and legacies of the players and staff who were aboard the flight that crashed on October 2, 1970. The details of the specific date and time for this year’s ceremony were not provided in the summary, nor were details about any speakers or specific activities planned beyond the act of remembrance itself. The summary also did not specify the number of individuals honored or provide names of any individuals.

Memorial ’70 stands as a permanent fixture on the WSU campus, serving as a focal point for reflection and remembrance for this significant event in the university’s history. The site is intended to ensure that the memory of the team members is preserved for current and future generations of students, faculty, and alumni. The annual ceremony underscores the enduring impact of the 1970 tragedy on the university’s identity and its athletic programs.

The circumstances surrounding the crash, which occurred while the team was en route to a game, remain a somber chapter in collegiate sports history. The university’s commitment to holding an annual ceremony highlights its dedication to remembering the lost lives and acknowledging the profound loss experienced by the WSU community. Further details regarding the ceremony’s agenda are expected from the university closer to the event date.

Story summarized from the original created by Ryan Newton on www.ksn.com, see more information here.

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