The University of Alabama in Huntsville is honoring the legacy of longtime softball head coach Les Stuedeman by naming the UAH softball field in her honor, recognizing a career that built the Charger program into a national contender.
The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees approved the resolution naming Les Stuedeman Field during its Feb. 6 meeting at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAH and UAB are both part of the UA System.
Stuedeman founded the UAH softball program in 1996 and led it for nearly three decades, retiring in 2025 after transforming the Chargers into a perennial Gulf South Conference powerhouse.
“What an honor and privilege it is for us to be able to name the field after Les,” said UAH Director of Athletics Dr. Cade Smith. “Nothing could be more fitting for someone who poured her heart and soul into building this program and facility from scratch. I am so proud that every Charger who plays softball at UAH will now play on Les Stuedeman Field.”
Stuedeman said the recognition reflects her deep connection to the university and its community.
“I loved every second of being a Charger on the field,” she said. “I love and believe in The University of Alabama in Huntsville, our students and this community. To have my name become part of this campus and its history is more than I ever imagined. I am deeply grateful and honored.”
She added, “If loving the Chargers is wrong, I don’t want to be right.”
UAH Athletics plans to celebrate the naming of the field later this semester, with details to be announced.
During her tenure, Stuedeman led UAH to 13 Gulf South Conference championships and 26 NCAA tournament appearances, including four NCAA Regional Championships. She coached 34 All-Americans and was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year 10 times. She was also selected as GSC Coach of the Decade in both 2010 and 2020.
Before arriving at UAH, Stuedeman was a standout multi-sport athlete at Vestavia Hills High School and went on to play collegiate softball at Samford University and Huntingdon College, earning All-American honors. She later coached at Hewitt-Trussville High School before launching the UAH softball program, serving as its only head coach until her retirement.
Her accomplishments have been recognized with induction into multiple halls of fame, including the Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Madison County Sports Hall of Fame and Women Who Shape the State of Alabama. Stuedeman is also a member of the 2026 class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
With the naming of Les Stuedeman Field, UAH officials say her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of Charger softball players.
