Carpenter-Haygood Stadium
Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, with seating for more than 9,600, serves as the site for all of Henderson State’s home football games. The bowl-enclosed stadium is considered one of the finest small college stadiums in the country.
Renamed in April of 1990 to include the name of former coach Ralph “Sporty” Carpenter, who passed away Feb. 16, 1990 after serving 19 years as the Reddies’ head coach, the stadium opened in 1968 and has hosted five NAIA national track and field meets, the NAIA national playoffs, several high school playoff games, as well as Special Olympics, state track meets, countless marching contests, graduation ceremonies and even a Centennial Celebration in its time.
The home football facilities at Henderson have been known as Haygood Stadium since 1936, when seating was expanded at Haygood Field, which was named in honor of Jimmy Haygood, the school’s football coach from 1907-1924. When the school built a new stadium on the north campus in 1968, the Haygood Stadium name carried over.
The school’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to add Carpenter’s name to the stadium. The board’s resolution read:
“Whereas, the Board of Trustees of Henderson State University laments the loss of Coach Ralph “Sporty” Carpenter on February 16, 1990; and
“Whereas, it is appropriate to recognize Coach Carpenter’s long and loyal service to the students of Henderson State University;
“Resolved, that the university’s football stadium will from this day forth be named Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in honor of Coach Carpenter.”
Duke Wells Center
The Henderson State University Wells Center, named for legendary HSU Coach Duke Wells, was erected in 1971 and has recently gone under several major renovations.
The Wells Center is home for the men's and women's basketball teams, the Lady Reddie volleyball team and the Red Wave men's and women's swimming and diving teams. New bleachers, a new scoreboard, a new paint job and new backboards were some of the changes made to the gymnasium in recent years.
The pool was also the recipient of a new Colorado Timing system and scoreboard, which were donated by Coca-Cola. The pool area also got a new paint job and new duraflex diving stands.
The Wells Center is also home to Henderson State's weight room, which is open to all HSU students, staff and faculty members. Offices for various coaches and athletic staff, as well as the entire Health, Physical Education and Recreation department, are also located in the building.
Many classrooms are located on the second floor, and Henderson State's other athletic facilities are located nearby. Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, home of the Reddie football team, is directly behind the Wells Center, as is the Reddie Fieldhouse.
West of the Wells Center are intramural fields used for sports such as softball and flag football, as well as the HSU softball field. The intramural fields are also used by the Henderson State soccer club and the Henderson State band.