Dear Tiger Fan,
Congratulations to Coach Chuck Winstead and our Fighting Tiger Men’s Golf team for capturing the 2015 National Championship! When senior Ben Taylor drained a 9-foot par putt at the 18th hole (watch video) to clinch the Tigers’ final-round win over Southern California, LSU earned its fifth men’s golf NCAA title and its first since 1955! The Tigers played at an extremely high level all season, and they roared through the NCAA tournament field in Bradenton, Fla., to bring the national championship trophy home to Baton Rouge (photos).
As Coach Winstead said after the final round, the team couldn’t do it alone – there are many dedicated supporters of our golf program, and I sincerely thank you for helping make this tremendous achievement possible.
The men’s golf national championship is the highlight of what has been a remarkable spring for LSU Athletics. Last month, our men’s programs captured the Southeastern Conference All-Sports title for 2014-15, the first for the LSU men since 1996-97. The LSU women, who have also enjoyed a fantastic year,finished third this year in the all-sports standings.
Still to come are the final Learfield Sports Director’s Cup national rankings at the conclusion of the baseball and track and field seasons, and we anticipate that LSU will have one of its best finishes ever!
Of course, our baseball team, which has been ranked No. 1 for most of the season, hopes to extend its season into late June. Coach Paul Mainieri and the Tigers play host to UL-Lafayette this weekend in the NCAA Super Regional with a College World Series berth at stake. Alex Box Stadium is the greatest venue in college baseball because of our passionate and educated fans, and we’re looking forward to welcoming you to campus this weekend.
The devotion of our fans was never more evident than during last week’s regional, when thousands of you stayed until 1:30 a.m. Sunday to cheer the Tigers on to victory. Then, another huge crowd came to The Box at noon on Monday to watch LSU win the championship game. I want to especially thank those of you who were undeterred by the weather and the unusual schedule to make the stadium come alive.
LSU track and field will compete in the NCAA Outdoor Championships next week in Eugene, Ore., and Coach Dennis Shaver has the men’s and women’s teams in position to challenge for national recognition. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 and the Lady Tigers are No. 8 heading into the NCAA meet.
The Women’s College World Series is the ultimate destination for college softball teams, and the LSU Tigers, led by Coach Beth Torina, culminated an amazing year by reaching the Final Four of the event in Oklahoma City. Coach Torina has a young, dynamic team that will continue to be a national championship contender for years to come.
Other highlights this spring included the effort of Coach D-D Breaux and the gymnastics team, who drew sold-out crowds to the Maravich Center and secured a third-straight NCAA regional championship. Our women’s golf team recorded a Top 20 NCAA finish, our men’s and women’s tennis teams recorded victories in the NCAA Tournament, and our women’s swimming and diving teams sent a school-record 11 competitors to the NCAA meet.
We are extremely proud of the overall excellence of our athletic department. As I‘ve told you before, it’s a testament to the dedication of our coaches and student-athletes, and to the magnificent support they receive from all of you.
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