Central Texas Stampede
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Last season | 2001 |
| League | Western Professional Hockey League |
| Team history | Central Texas Stampede (1996–2001) |
| Based in | Belton, Texas |
| Arena | Bell County Expo Center |
| Colors | Red, Gold, Black, & White |
| Championships | 0 |
| Division titles | 1 (1999–00) |
The Central Texas Stampede was a professional ice hockey team based in Belton, Texas. It was the first professional sports franchise established in the city.
The logo for the former minor league hockey team, the Central Texas Stampede, was inspired by the Texas Longhorns and the region's cattle-driven identity. It features an aggressive, stylized bull that references the mascot of the University of Texas at Austin, which is well-known throughout the state.
Founded in 1996, the Stampede was one of six charter members of the newly created Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL), a mid-level minor professional league that sought to expand hockey into southern U.S. markets. The team played its home games at the Bell County Expo Center (now Cadence Bank Center), a 6,500-seat multipurpose arena.