The stadium features a three-level press box on the west side with a photo deck located on the roof.[2] The president'ssuite and a 30-seat club level is located on the third level. The second-level houses an area for game management staff, television, radio and coaches' booths and a working press area. On the ground level is the Colonels Club Room. Members use the club room as a hospitality area before home football games as well as for various university functions throughout the year.
The stadium is also the site of LHSAA high school football games, Crawfish Day, Winter Fest and holds marching band competitions.
For the 2007 Nicholls State football season, a new AstroTurf playing surface was installed at the stadium.[7][8] Prior to the start of the 2010 season, a new scoreboard, complete with graphic animation features as well as a new sound system was added. In 2012, the west entrance of the stadium was renovated which included a new entrance into the Colonel Club area and a new ever-present illuminated Nicholls "N".[9]
In 2017, the stadium press box was named C.C. Collins Press Box and a new artificial turf playing surface was installed.[10] The GeoGreen Replicated Grass playing surface featured the Nicholls Athletics logo at midfield, along with Manning Field and Southland Conference logos on each 25-yard-line.[4] Also in 2017, the stadium received a new 31' wide LED video display scoreboard and sound system.[11]
On June 12, 2019, Nicholls announced a new $6.5 million, 20,000-square-foot (1,900m2) football operations center will be built in the south end zone along with an expansion and renovation of the Frank L. Barker Athletic Building.[12][13] The football team will move from the Barker Athletic Building to the football operations center starting with the 2020 Nicholls Football season.[12][13] The football operations center will include a new locker room, players’ lounge, 142-seat team meeting room with stadium-style seating, training room, equipment room, coaches’ and staff offices, position and group meeting rooms, catering kitchen and team lobby.[12] The team meeting room will also function as a gameday club seating area with a large window overlooking the field.[13] Construction of an indoor training facility located behind the football operations center will begin after completion of the football operations center.[13][14]
The Nicholls Colonels Strength and Conditioning facility is located in the Leonard C. Chabert Strength and Conditioning Facility or Leonard C. Chabert Hall. The facility has multi-purpose power stations, weight machines, dumbbell stations, elliptical machines and stationary bikes. It is the strength and conditioning facility and nutrition center for Nicholls athletics.[12]
Nicholls Colonels Football Practice Fields
The Nicholls Colonels football practice fields include three natural grass football practice fields located across Acadia Drive from Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium, the Frank L. Barker Athletic Building and the Leonard C. Chabert Strength and Conditioning Facility.[15] Two of the fields face in a north–south configuration similar to Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium with a third facing in an east–west configuration.
Gallery
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium exterior
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium/Barker Athletic Building
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium - Goalpost
Manning Field
Manning Field with scoreboard
C.C. Collins Press Box
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium - View from Home Stands
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium - Scoreboard and Stands
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium - Scoreboard
Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium - Press Box (1980s–2016)