Dear Tiger Fan,
I hope you are enjoying the summer and, like me, are anxiously awaiting the start of football season in only 67 days! Before we look ahead to the fall, though, I thought we’d review the highlights of the 2012-13 school year that proved to be another banner season for LSU Athletics.
Our prominence was once again evident in the final 2012-13 Learfield Sports Director’s Cup standings that recognize the nation’s best athletic programs, as LSU finished in the Top 20 for the eighth consecutive year.
The season featured another 10-win season and bowl appearance for our football team, which recorded a double-digit victory total for the sixth time in eight years. The men’s basketball program was rejuvenated by coach Johnny Jones, who directed the Tigers to a 19-12 mark while placing LSU back into consideration for a postseason berth. Women’s basketball continued its rise under coach Nikki Caldwell, who guided the Lady Tigers to LSU’s first Sweet 16 berth in five years.
The 2013 Fighting Tiger baseball team established a school record for victories with 57 and earned the school’s 16th College World Series appearance while capturing SEC Western Division and SEC Tournament titles. LSU led the nation in college baseball attendance for the 18th consecutive season, drawing nearly 500,000 fans to Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
The softball squad won the SEC West and played host to an NCAA Regional in Tiger Park before record crowds. Our gymnastics team reached the prestigious Super Six for the third time in six seasons, and the women’s track team, led by Bowerman Award winner and national sprint champion Kimberlyn Duncan, placed fourth in the final NCAA outdoor standings.
But the 2012-13 year was about more than just athletic success. Embodying our creed of “competition, classroom, community,” LSU student-athletes logged more than 4,475 hours in community service work across 20 sports through our Geaux Givers program. And a total of 89 proud Tigers received their degrees from the university during LSU commencement ceremonies in December and May.
It was a truly a magnificent year, and I know you’ll join me in saluting the tremendous efforts of our student-athletes and coaches.
As I mentioned earlier, we are a mere 67 days from the start of the 2013 football season, and all of us are all looking forward to kickoff versus TCU on August 31 in Cowboys Stadium. Coach Miles, his players and staff have worked extremely hard throughout the spring and summer preparing for the fall schedule, and I’m confident you will be very proud of the 2013 Fighting Tiger gridiron squad.
When you arrive on campus September 7 for our home opener versus UAB, you’ll notice that Tiger Stadium continues to experience a transformation. Construction on the south end zone expansion is progressing smoothly and is on target for an August 2014 completion date. A new plaza and gating system on the north end of the stadium opens this season, further enriching the experience of visitors to our university.
These projects, along with several others in the early stages of production, are designed to provide our student-athletes and coaches with the resources necessary to compete at the highest level. Look for updates during the coming year on a new gymnastics training facility, an indoor tennis facility, renovations to the Carl Maddox Field House and a nutrition center for all of our student-athletes.
Your passionate support makes these projects possible, and they are vital to the success of LSU Athletics. We are very grateful for the best fans in America!
As always, we welcome your comments at athletics@lsu.edu. Unfortunately we cannot answer every e-mail we receive, but please be assured they are all read.
Geaux Tigers!
Joe Alleva
Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics