Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field

Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field
Capacity: 1,000
Field Dimensions: 320-375-395-385-330

Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field has been the home of the Mulerider baseball program since the 1960s. Annually, Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field provides one of the best collegiate baseball atmospheres among NCAA Division II stadiums in the region. That atmosphere has played a huge role in the program’s successes in Magnolia.

The stadium has been completely transformed throughout the years with multiple major developments coming which includes stadium upgrades, and the completion of the Johnson-Dawson Player Development Facility. Most recently in the fall of 2024, state of the art artifical turf was installed by GeoSurfaces along with a new ChampionWall in the outfield, and a video board to complement the existing scoreboard.

After receiving a $500,000 challenge grant from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, the University raised an additional $500,000 to complete the stadium in 2010. The new facilities included an updated and more spacious press box with multiple radio booths, concession stand, player locker room, coaches’ offices, and public restrooms in addition to a crowded trophy case visible upon entry into the stadium.

On October 15, 2011, less than a year after the stadium renovations, the playing surface was officially changed from Mulerider Field and named in honor of longtime Southern Arkansas head baseball coach Steve Goodheart who spent 23 seasons (1981-2003) leading the program. During that time, he amassed 764 wins, nine AIC championships, including six consecutive from 1986-1991, eight NAIA District 17 titles and two area championships in addition to leading the 1983, 1987 and 1991 teams to the NAIA World Series.

Johnson-Dawson Player Development Facility
Official Release (https://bit.ly/2YYrQlr)

Within the confines of Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field, the newly constructed Johnson-Dawson Player Development Facility, as part of two-phase renovation, replaces the covered batting cages and bullpen area at the southeast side of the stadium.

The facility, which was completed in June of 2020, features multiple sections of netting for hitting as well as ample space for multiple portable pitching mounds. Additionally, the netting can be brought back to either end of the facility allowing for ground balls, throwing drills and other performance-specific exercises to be executed specifically in the early part of each season when weather isn't optimal for on-field workouts.

The naming of the facility came as a result from the contributions of the Johnson Family including Patrick and Kim Johnson and Patrick, Jr. and Haley Johnson, Geo-Surfaces and the Family of Charlie and Kelli Dawson, Bodcaw Bank, and the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation.

With the completion of the project's first phase, attention has now turned to the planning and execution of phase two which includes upgrading the current natural grass playing surface at Goodheart Field with the installation of infield turf. Currently, a matching gift of $100,000 has been pledged to the project.