ATLANTA — The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved the naming rights for Georgia State's baseball stadium on Thursday afternoon, officially designating the facility as Chastain Childers Field at Bill and Susan Reeves Stadium.
The naming recognizes two families whose generosity, leadership and lasting commitment have helped shape the success and growth of Georgia State Athletics for decades.
The stadium will honor Bill and Susan Reeves, lifelong supporters of Georgia State Athletics whose impact has been felt across generations of Panther student-athletes. The field will honor Anderson "Chase" Childers through the generosity of supporters Zachary and Barbara Chastain.
"Today is a special moment for Georgia State Athletics as we celebrate two families whose passion and dedication have transformed the Panther experience," Director of Athletics Charlie Coob said. "Bill and Susan Reeves have given selflessly to Georgia State for decades, while the Chastain family's commitment to honoring Chase Childers ensures his legacy of courage, character and service will forever remain a part of our baseball program."
Bill Reeves graduated from Georgia State in 1959 with a degree in business before building several successful business ventures. Alongside Susan Reeves, the couple has been instrumental in supporting Georgia State Athletics through philanthropy, leadership and unwavering support at Panther events.
Among their many contributions was the construction of the Reeves Fieldhouse at the baseball complex in 2003. Bill Reeves has served as chairman of the Georgia State University Athletic Association Board of Trustees and on the Georgia State University Foundation Board, while Susan Reeves has long been a devoted supporter of Georgia State Spirit Squads and Panther Athletics as a whole. The pair were inducted into the Georgia State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Reeves family are founding and named members of the William "Bill" Reeves Society, longtime football and basketball season ticket holders and supporters of the William D. and Susan T. Reeves Endowed Scholarship in Athletics.
The field naming was secured through the generosity of Barbara "Lynn" Chastain and Zachary "Zach" Chastain, longtime supporters of Georgia State Baseball. Barbara Chastain, a 1976 graduate of Georgia State, is the former Vice President and General Counsel of Chick-fil-A and has supported Georgia State Athletics since 2007. Zach Chastain earned two degrees from Georgia State and was a four-year letterman for the Panther baseball program, helping lead the team to the 2009 Colonial Athletic Association Championship. He currently serves on the Panther Athletic Club Board.
The Chastains chose to honor Chase Childers, a former Georgia State baseball standout whose legacy continues to inspire the Panther community. A four-year letterman and member of the 2009 conference championship team, Childers ranks among the top all-around players in program history before continuing his baseball career in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
Beyond the diamond, Childers served with the Cobb County Police Department and was recognized with a Life Saving Award for his service. He was posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism and the Congressional Medal of Honor after sacrificing his life while rescuing a family caught in a coastal rip current.
Chastain Childers Field at Bill and Susan Reeves Stadium stands as a lasting tribute to the individuals and families whose generosity, leadership and selflessness continue to define the spirit of Georgia State Athletics.
The Chastain Childers Field at Bill and Susan Reeves Stadium is set to open for the 2027 baseball stadium. Follow Georgia State baseball on Instagram (@gsu_base) and X (@gsu_base), or visit www.georgiastatesports.com to keep up with information and updates on the stadium project.
