Wake Forest¡¦s Leighton Tennis Stadium, which serves as the outdoor home of Demon Deacon tennis, was renmed and dedicated in honor of Jim Leighton, the legendary coach of Wake Forest tennis from 1963-84. Leighton coached the Demon Deacons for 22 seasons, accumulating an impressive 277-172-2 record during that span. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1981 ¡V Wake¡¦s first such honor ¡V when the Deacon men¡¦s team finished second to perennial conference champion Clemson. Leighton still ranks fourth all-time among ACC men¡¦s tennis coaches in career victories. He has been inducted into both the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame and Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame.

The facility was dedicated on April 9, 1989, seven months after his death. The $700,000 renovation upgraded the facility into one of the finest collegiate tennis stadiums in the country, inclduing 1,200 permanent seats, 140 box seats, five lighted outdoor courts, restrooms and special areas for handicapped spectators.