Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium at Jimmy Feix Field has been home to the Hilltoppers for over 50 years. WKU has a 207-101-4 (.663) all-time record at “The Houch” with the largest crowd being 25,171 to watch the Hilltoppers face Indiana on Sept. 25, 2021. The official seating capacity is listed at 22,113. The facility has seen several phases of improvements since WKU played its first game there on September 21, 1968.
A multi-year renovation project began in 2006 and featured the construction of a new west side of the stadium while also including a significant renovation of the stadium's existing east side structure. Construction began on the west grandstand prior to the start of the 2007 season. The west side of the stadium contains approximately 5,000 seats, including an 832-seat club level, along with concession stands and restrooms.
In 2008, the stadium underwent a major $50 million expansion project, resulting in new locker rooms, meeting rooms, weight rooms, and training rooms. The west side of the building also houses new football offices and a new weight room (10,000 square feet), training room (8,500 square feet), locker room (10,000 square feet) and equipment area. In addition, a new berm was built behind the north end zone, giving Hilltopper fans – primarily WKU students – an opportunity to enjoy the game from a different view.
Other improvements to the existing structure on the east side include locker rooms and offices for women's soccer, and men's and women's track. In the lower level, the addition of a new academic advising center includes office space for advisors, tutoring rooms, a large study hall room and a computer laboratory.
Ahead of the program’s Conference USA move prior to the 2014 season, a new FieldTurf playing surface was installed. The field contained the traditional WKU red towel logo with the wording "Feix Field" as well as new black endzones. The black endzone design was selected by an online fan vote. A state-of-the-art high definition video board was installed prior to the 2018 season.
WKU is playing on a brand new, state-of-the-art FieldTurf Vertex CORE surface on Feix Field in the 2024 season. The newest addition to the field design is Big Red, WKU’s lovable mascot, on each 25-yard line opposite the Conference USA logo. The end zones remain black, with white “Hilltoppers” block text outlined in red instead of the “WKU” red block text outlined in white on the most recent surface. The WKU red towel primary logo remains at midfield, while the “Feix Field” text moves to each sideline on the new turf.
In the fall of 2024, WKU began using a brand new state-of-the-art press box. The 15,300 square foot press box serves as a first-class home for media coverage of Hilltopper Football games. Situated above the existing Harbaugh Club, the press box houses radio booths, coaches’ booths, working press and game operations. Multiple suites are also included in the expanded space.
In September of 2024, the football facility located on the west side of the stadium was rededicated and is now known as the Harold and Juanita Koon Football Complex. This was done in honor of significant philanthropic support from the Koon family and the Koon Family Foundation. The Football Complex, which was completed in 2007, houses the Hilltoppers' locker room, weight room, training room, coaches' offices, football operations, and meeting rooms.
Behind the Names...
L.T. Smith
The stadium is named for the late L.T. Smith, who came to WKU in 1920 and established the industrial arts curriculum on campus. Smith headed that department until 1957 when he took over as administrator of the WKU Physical Plant. In 1963, Smith was named the Coordinator of New Construction, a post he held until his retirement in 1965. In addition to his other duties, Smith coached the Hilltoppers in 1920 and 1921 and the men’s basketball team during the 1921-22 campaign. He was instrumental in bringing the legendary E.A. Diddle, a member of both the Naismith and Helms Foundation Basketball Halls of Fame, to The Hill to take over the coaching duties in 1922. Smith, a member of the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame, also served as chairman of the school’s Athletic Committee almost continuously from the time he helped form it in 1922 until his retirement in 1965.
Jimmy Feix
Jimmy Feix - pronounced Fikes - was WKU’s first football All-American as a quarterback in 1952 and took over the head coaching job in 1968, leading Hilltopper football to some of its greatest seasons, concluding his illustrious 16-year stint at the helm with a school-record 106 wins. The field inside Houchens-Smith stadium was named in his honor at the beginning of the 1991 season. Feix enjoyed a career in professional football before a four-year career in the armed forces. Feix returned to The Hill in 1957 as an assistant football coach. He passed away on October 5, 2014 at the age of 83.
