Lindsey Wilson University to Build Indoor Tennis Center
COLUMBIA, Ky. (08/19/2026) — For about a quarter of every year, the Lindsey Wilson University tennis teams have not had a place to practice. That's because Southcentral Kentucky's inhospitable winter months often make it impossible to play outside at the six-court Henry Baughman Tennis Complex.
That's about to change.
Lindsey Wilson is set to break ground this school year on the Henry Baughman Indoor Tennis Center. The single-story, 22,000-square-foot building will be located on Fairgrounds Street. It will include three indoor tennis courts, locker rooms for the men's and women's tennis teams, coaches' offices, and a lobby/meeting area for the teams. It will be completed during the 2026-27 school year.
Lindsey Wilson tennis coach Eric Bernabeu said the Henry Baughman Indoor Tennis Center should be a big boost to Blue Raider tennis.
"It puts us above a lot of schools," said Bernabeu, who is entering his fourth season as Lindsey Wilson tennis coach.
The $2 million building is made possible thanks to an estate gift from the late Henry Baughman of Stanford, Kentucky, who also made the lead gift for the outdoor tennis complex that bears his name. Baughman, who was a legendary Kentucky tennis player, died in 2019 at the age of 82.
"What an amazing legacy Henry left this university," said Lindsey Wilson Athletic Director Willis Pooler. "His generosity and love for this school and its tennis programs helped elevate our tennis teams onto a national stage."
'A 10 out of 10'
Before the Baughman Indoor Tennis Center will be built, the Baughman Tennis Complex is receiving a makeover. This summer, its six outdoor courts are being repaved and repainted.
In 2026, the Lindsey Wilson women's tennis team captured its fourth consecutive Mid-South Conference Tournament championship and finished as NAIA national runner-up en route to a 19-2 record. The Lindsey Wilson men's tennis team finished 2026 with a record of 16-3, which included winning the Mid-South Conference regular-season and tournament championships and advancing to NAIA National Championship quarterfinals.
Pooler said the Baughman Indoor Tennis Center "puts Lindsey Wilson's tennis teams in elite company."
"The Baughman Indoor Tennis Center will be unique in the NAIA because it will be owned and operated by Lindsey Wilson," said Pooler.
In addition to having three indoor tennis courts to use all year long, Bernabeu said that another benefit of the Baughman Indoor Tennis Center will be locker rooms for both teams as well as a spacious meeting area in the lobby.
"The most exciting thing about the new tennis center is that our students will get to practice every day," said Bernabeu. "But the tennis center will create an even better environment that we already have at Lindsey Wilson, which is already a 10 out of 10. The locker rooms and the meeting area will add a lot to our team chemistry because our players will get to spend more time with each other off the courts."
Because Lindsey Wilson is already among the top tennis programs in the NAIA, it has been invited in recent years to play in the ITA NAIA National Indoor Championships, which is usually held in February. The Lindsey Wilson players have conditioned to prepare for the tournament, but as Bernabeu points out, "fitness work is not the same as practice."
"Every year we go to that tournament without practice," said Bernabeu. "Just the thought of being able to practice before a national indoor tournament like that changes the whole season for us."
Pictured: Lindsey Wilson University will break ground this school year on the Henry Baughman Indoor Tennis Center. The single-story, 22,000-square-foot building will include three indoor tennis courts, locker rooms for the men’s and women’s tennis teams, coaches’ offices, and a lobby/meeting area for the teams.
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