BATON ROUGE — The LSU baseball team’s tour of Washington, D.C. Wednesday was an experience the Tigers will always cherish, according to coach Paul Mainieri.
“It was a tremendous trip for our players, something that was well-deserved after we won the national championship,” Mainieri said. “We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to go to Washington.”
The tour of the nation’s capital began with lunch at the residence of Sen. Mary Landrieu, who extended the invitation to Mainieri for the Tigers to come to Washington shortly after they won the College World Series.
“We are so appreciative of what Senator Landrieu did to make this trip happen,” Mainieri said. “She was an extremely gracious host.”
Sen. Landrieu presented Mainieri, LSU chancellor Mike Martin and director of athletics Joe Alleva with copies of a Senate resolution recognizing the Tigers’ accomplishments.
After visiting with Sen. Landrieu and other members of the Louisiana congressional delegation, the Tigers toured the U.S. Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II, Vietnam War and Korean War memorials.
The squad then traveled to the White House, where Vice President Joseph Biden met with the team during a reception in the West Wing.
“Meeting the Vice President was such an honor, “Mainieri said. “He said so many kind words to our players, and he shared some personal stories about what athletics has meant to him. His hospitality and the way he related to our players was especially impressive.”
The trip concluded with a tour of Arlington National Cemetery, where the Tigers witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.
“It was just an unforgettable day,” Mainieri said. “I know our players came away with an even greater appreciation of the men and women who have sacrificed to make this the greatest country in the world.”