The Georgia Southern Athletics Department has officially announced plans to renovate J.I. Clements Stadium, home of Eagle Baseball, with a $10 million new facility that will enhance all areas of the program.
Since its construction in 2004 and opening for the 2005 season, J.I. Clements Stadium has served as one of the best atmospheres in all of collegiate baseball. Its facilities have been used well by the hundreds of student-athletes who have been a part of Georgia Southern baseball in the past two decades. It served as a host site for the 2022 NCAA Regionals and has created countless memories for Eagle Nation.
"This is another exciting time because of Eagle Nation's continued support for Georgia Southern Athletics," said director of athletics Chris Davis. "This facility project enhances J.I. Clements Stadium, which is already one of the gems of college baseball. This project impacts multiple groups of people because of its versatility, including our student-athletes, coaches, staff and future Eagles. Donors and fans will also benefit from the premium options that will become available. Our Athletics Foundation has done a great job leading us financially to this point, and we are still aggressively fundraising to get us to the finish line.
"Thank you, Eagle Nation, for your attendance this upcoming season. We ask everyone to pardon our progress this year as we continue to GATA with construction around the facility, but we're all looking forward to seeing the end result for the 2026 season."
J.I. Clements Stadium will have a new feel for the 2026 season as renovations transform the experience for both players and fans. The Wiggins Building will give way to a new 16,000+ square-foot facility that will house the team, its daily operations, enhanced player development, premium seating options, and additional space for Eagle Nation to use in future springs. This renovation will catapult Eagle Baseball into having one of the finest facilities and fan experiences among peer programs nationwide.
"The Wiggins Building has been a great home for Georgia Southern players and staff for nearly 30 years and we thank the family for their support of Eagle baseball," Davis said. "As part of the project, plans are underway to reference and honor the Wiggins family inside the new facility."
For Eagle Nation, new additions include premium field-level spaces, terrace space, party decks, and cabanas down the third baseline. For the team itself, its facilities are getting a major upgrade and will serve as a massive recruiting point for future prospects and day-to-day use for current Eagles. The facility will include a new locker room, meeting room, players' lounge, nutrition center, display lobby, coaching offices, training room, as well as indoor batting cages and pitching tunnels with state-of-the-art technology for year-round use.
"We are very excited to begin construction," said head baseball coach Rodney Hennon. "This is a transformational project that will impact our program in many ways such as player development, recruiting, and the fan experience. We are very grateful to so many who have supported this project and made it possible. This facility will be a great source of pride for Georgia Southern Baseball and all of Eagle Nation."
This facility project is funded by numerous donors and fundraising continues with naming rights opportunities still available. These can be pledged and paid for over a five-year period. For more information and how to help benefit the project, contact Allie Ware, deputy athletic director for development, at [email protected].
Since J.I. Clements Stadium opened in 2005, Georgia Southern Baseball has a .651 winning percentage and has won over 350 games in Statesboro. The Eagles have never had a losing record at home in their 20 seasons at J.I. Clements Stadium with the venue breaking the record for both total (74,752) and average (2,491) season attendance in 2024.
Demolition of the Wiggins Building is set for early January with construction beginning subsequently afterwards. The year-long construction will eliminate some seating options for fans down the third baseline, but the new renovations are set to be complete by the start of the 2026 season.
