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Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander said the eye-catching renovations to an expanded Lindsey Nelson Stadium remind his players every day about the program's lofty expectations.
UT fans will see the results of the $105 million facelift when the 2026 season starts Feb. 13.
A redesigned home plate entrance and plaza area lead to a new Vol Shop. Fans will enjoy the new concessions, restrooms and elevators. There’s new turf on the field and stadium lighting.
Seating capacity has grown from 6,298 to 8,012 with the potential for additional standing room only. A third level has been added to the top of stadium with suites, club space, press box and broadcast booths. There’s also a new mezzanine level.
“It’s going to be awesome to get 8,000 people in here,” deputy AD/chief marketing officer Alicia Longworth said. “It feels like a big league ballpark. It feels like what a true SEC ballpark should feel like.”
No. 15 Tennessee plays Nicholls in its season-opening series. Game 1 is Feb. 13 (4:30 p.m. ET). Game 2 is Feb. 14 (1 p.m. ET). Game 3 is Feb. 15 (1 p.m. ET). All games will stream on SEC Network+ from a remodeled Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
“Easy reminders (of high expectation) are all the resources we’ve been blessed with here at Tennessee,” Elander said. “When the guys walk in the stadium each day, one of my themes has been ‘Don’t take this for granted.’ We’re playing in one of the best setups in college baseball now. You don’t build a stadium like that unless you plan on playing postseason baseball in there.”
UT has advanced to at least an NCAA Super Regional in five straight seasons. The Vols made the College World Series in 2021, 2023 and 2024. They won the 2024 national title.
Elander, an assistant since 2018, was promoted to head coach to replace Tony Vitello, who became the San Francisco Giants manager. His 2026 team will unveil the revamped stadium.
The groundbreaking ceremony for stadium renovations was in late 2023, and construction has filled each offseason. New features have debuted each of the past two seasons.
On Feb. 11, UT hosted media members for a stadium tour. Here’s what is new in 2026.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lindsey Nelson Stadium renovation for Tennessee baseball in 2026
Continue reading...
UT fans will see the results of the $105 million facelift when the 2026 season starts Feb. 13.
A redesigned home plate entrance and plaza area lead to a new Vol Shop. Fans will enjoy the new concessions, restrooms and elevators. There’s new turf on the field and stadium lighting.
Seating capacity has grown from 6,298 to 8,012 with the potential for additional standing room only. A third level has been added to the top of stadium with suites, club space, press box and broadcast booths. There’s also a new mezzanine level.
“It’s going to be awesome to get 8,000 people in here,” deputy AD/chief marketing officer Alicia Longworth said. “It feels like a big league ballpark. It feels like what a true SEC ballpark should feel like.”
No. 15 Tennessee plays Nicholls in its season-opening series. Game 1 is Feb. 13 (4:30 p.m. ET). Game 2 is Feb. 14 (1 p.m. ET). Game 3 is Feb. 15 (1 p.m. ET). All games will stream on SEC Network+ from a remodeled Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
“Easy reminders (of high expectation) are all the resources we’ve been blessed with here at Tennessee,” Elander said. “When the guys walk in the stadium each day, one of my themes has been ‘Don’t take this for granted.’ We’re playing in one of the best setups in college baseball now. You don’t build a stadium like that unless you plan on playing postseason baseball in there.”
UT has advanced to at least an NCAA Super Regional in five straight seasons. The Vols made the College World Series in 2021, 2023 and 2024. They won the 2024 national title.
Elander, an assistant since 2018, was promoted to head coach to replace Tony Vitello, who became the San Francisco Giants manager. His 2026 team will unveil the revamped stadium.
Here's what is new at Lindsey Nelson Stadium
The groundbreaking ceremony for stadium renovations was in late 2023, and construction has filled each offseason. New features have debuted each of the past two seasons.
On Feb. 11, UT hosted media members for a stadium tour. Here’s what is new in 2026.
- Home plate entrance and plaza area, wider main concourse with more TVs and directional signage
- Third level suites and club space with a CLT roof. The roof is more sustainable and adds warmth.
- Additional chairback seats under a new mezzanine level connected to the seating bowl, as well as additional standing room only areas to further increase capacity for LNS
- Right field restrooms and concessions
- Left field Yee-Haw/Ol Smoky bar on main concourse
- Kitchen with enhanced food offerings throughout the stadium
- Vol Shop inside the main entrance
- Third base line restrooms, a mother’s room and concession, which will open around SEC play
- Multiple elevators
- Permanent, programmable LED and stadium lighting
- Turf field
- Fully completed mezzanine level with a new broadcast booth, radio booths, media work area and game operations booth
- Renovated concessions and restrooms on main concourse behind home plate
- MVP Room expansion with new restrooms, bar and food service area
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lindsey Nelson Stadium renovation for Tennessee baseball in 2026
Continue reading...
