Jim Mize Track and Field Complex

Starting with the 2009 season, Louisiana Tech's championship track and field programs have had a state-of-the-art facility to call home.

For decades the programs had overcome an outdated facility adjacent to Joe Aillet Stadium on Louisiana Tech's campus, still managing to win several championships. That all changed in March 2008 when construction began on a new facility.

Since the sport of track has changed drastically from the time the old track at Tech was constructed in the 1970s, several updates were needed. Furthermore, because the new track was being built in the same area as the previous one, the old track needed to be completely removed. Not that the old facility didn't enjoy its time in the sun; on the contrary, it hosted three Southland Conference Championships as well as the 1991 American South Conference Championships.

One of the many upgrades with the new track is a practice field in the middle, which can be used for soccer and football. To accommodate the need, the new track needed to be wider than the previous one.

Construction of the facility was completed in August of 2008. Later on that year on Nov. 1, then Louisiana Tech President Dr. Dan Reneau announced that the track facility would once again be named the Jim Mize Track and Field Complex. Mize attended Tech as an athlete from Fair Park High School in Shreveport and later came back to the university as a coach. He coached football alongside Aillet and Maxie Lambright for 24 years. During his time at Tech, Mize also built a consistent track program. As a track coach, he won conference championships in 1961, 1973 and 1974.

The updated facility allowed Louisiana Tech to host the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships where the Bulldog women won their seventh consecutive outdoor title and their 11th WAC title in 12 tries.

Along with the new track is a sand volleyball court located on the north end of the track. Like the new track, the volleyball court can also be illuminated.

Most recently, the facility received an upgrade to the lighting system as LED lights were installed. Another face lift occurred on March 27, 2024 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the unveiling of a new entryway as well as a new black wrought iron fence with brick columns enclosing the track and field.