The home of Northwest football, Bearcat Stadium, has FieldTurf with seating facilities and an approximate capacity of 7,500. Bearcat Stadium is located adjacent to Lamkin Activity Center and off College Avenue. Homes just across the street from the stadium and Northwest residence halls at the north end of the stadium give Bearcat Stadium an intimate, collegiate feel.

Northwest Missouri State University’s football facility has been called Bearcat Stadium since 2004. This beautiful, state-of-the-art facility, called "the crown jewel of the MIAA" by the Kansas City Star, was formerly known as Rickenbrode Stadium.

Bearcat Stadium is the longest-running continuous site for football in all of NCAA Division II. No other stadium in Division II has played host to its team’s games for as long. The Bearcats’ athletic field was first located behind the Administration Building. But in 1913, the team’s games were moved to the field at the current site.

In 1917, construction was completed at the new field and it was named Memorial Stadium. The facility was re-named Rickenbrode Stadium in 1961 by University President J.W. Jones. It was named Rickenbrode Stadium in honor of long-time Northwest employee and Bearcat supporter William Rickenbrode. For nearly 44 years, the facility was named for Rickenbrode.

In 2000, the first of a wave of major changes to the stadium took place. The east grandstand was completely rebuilt. This project was funded solely by Northwest students. The renovations weren’t finished, however. Following the 2001 season, demolition of the west grandstand and construction of the new west side had begun. The Bearcats played the 2002 season with temporary bleachers and a temporary press seating area.

In 2003, the new-and-improved stadium was unveiled. The new construction included an increased seating capacity on the west side, chairback and railback seating, 10 luxury suites, a spacious and functional press area and a new scoreboard, complete with video board. The most recent set of renovations was funded entirely by private funds. Some of those private funds were behind the re-naming of the stadium in 2004.

A small group of anonymous donors wished to give a generous donation to the stadium project. They did not want to be identified. Instead, their wish was that the stadium honor everyone who was involved with making the facility what it is today. From “Mr. Bearcat” William Rickenbrode to the students who were responsible for the renovation on the east side of the stadium and all the donors and others who were involved with the west side renovations, all are Bearcats in one way or another. Therefore, Northwest’s football facility will now honor all of them and be known as Bearcat Stadium.