Cajun Coach of the Year

[RayneCajun]

Got to thinking last night about the year the Cajun athletic program just had, man it was special. I started thinking which coach would be the Coach of the Year at UL this year if such an award was given. They have all accomplished so much!

Mark Hudspeth - Football
Conference and N.O. Bowl Champions

Bob Marlin - Mens Basketball
Conference Champions and NCAA Tournament

Mike Lotief - Softball
Conference, Regional & Super Regional Champions and WCWS

Tony Robichaux - Baseball
Conference and Regional Champions

Gary Broadhead - Womens Basketball
Definitely on the way up

Heather Mazeitis-Fontonet - Volleyball
One of the best years to date

And I believe tennis, golf and track had their best years in a while. Hope I'm not leaving anyone out. So, having said this, my vote goes to:

Coach Rusty Whitt!!!

Not a doubt in my mind he has something to do with all of the success in all sports. Injuries are down since he's been here. Our athletes are bigger, faster & stronger. Yes, the coaching staffs above have a lot to do with recruiting better athletes and all, but after reading a lot of posts about which coaches need to get paid more to stick around, this man should get his due. Also want to give a shout out to the athletes themselves. They have not only represented my university with pride and class on the field, but in the classroom also.

To each and every UL athlete, I want to say THANK YOU!!

OK, I'm done. Have fun with this thread

GEAUX CAJUNS!!!
Best Year in UL Athletics History!!

[Boomer]

Great post ---so very true---Now lets continue the direction we are going!!!

[raginsaints]

They've all done great work... I'll go with Tony Robichaux, took a team to a unanimous #1 overall ranking in the country and to the final 16 of the college baseball tournament.

[axg8750]

My vote would be Coach Mike.

Did more with less IMO.

[CajunDreDog]

I'd say Coach Mike also, just b/c no one really expected what that team did before the season. The rest were not that far off from general consensus pre-season predictions. Not demeaning what any of the others did in anyway.

[CajunSpools]

Great post and thought!

[cajun67]

I'd vote for all of the above as I believe this is the best group of coaches we've ever had. They each deal with various budget challenges; facility shortfalls; scheduling issues and, yet, produce at a high level given these challenges. Overall winners, however, are clear. Alumni, students, fans in general. Great time to be a Ragin Cajun. Hope we remember these times when we have to rebuild in some programs.

[IdeaL]

I'd have to go with Coach Marlin

edit: although it's a toss up between him and Coach Mike

[RaginDave]

How do you leave coach jeffrey of. The tennis team off this list. Most wins ever by cajun tennis team with 20

[jumboragncajun]

All deserving. But Deggs gets my vote. Bonafide badas!

[sportsfanatic21]

My vote would be Coach Mike.

Did more with less IMO.

Agree. Football was expected to do what they did. Basketball won the conference tourney, which is great, but not on the level with the others, and baseball was supposed to win as well. It's tough to say that leading a team to a number 1 national rankings isn't the best in the department within a given year (or usually ever), but for the softball ladies to be in what was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year, and garner the first ever national seed (exact same as baseball...number of seed, and unprecedented), advance to the WCWS, and finish the season ranked 8th in the country really is just unbelievable.

Can't go wrong with Tony or Mike though. How amazing a sports year was it when Hud finishes third as "Campus Coach of the Year"?? Insane. Awesome job by all of the Cajun athletes throughout the program...on the field/court, as well as in the classroom and community. Could not be more proud.

[USL1970]

Tony Robichaux - Baseball
Conference and Regional Champions

He competed and won against some of the very best teams in the country, and he accomplished this with a lot of local (Louisiana) talent - that is a great benefit to the cost effectiveness of the program.

Baseball was consensus #1 in the nation at the end of the regular season. HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

[BayouRichard]

All are deserving, but with all the Greg Davis ism's Rusty made Greg.

[ULGrad@HOU]

Great thread, tough question. All of the coaches deserve praise, no doubt. I love what Coach Hud is doing and the direction he has our football program going. I'm ecstatic that Coach Marlin brought the basketball team back to a respectable level, a truly tough task. Coach Mike excels and doesn't get enough credit for keeping the softball team as one of the top programs in the nation. What stands out for me is Coach Robichaux, his staff and the players getting the no. 1 ranking in the country and maintaining it. This accomplishment is huge, it's really amazing how he was not only able to to reach it, but keep that level of play going. I'm not normally a big baseball fan, but this team captured my attention and brought tremendous pride to me, for my University and it's students.

My vote is: Coach Robichaux
Geaux Cajuns!

[sportsfanatic21]

Has the National Coach of the Year been announced for softball? It should be Mike, but probably won't be. I can't see any way in the world that Tony is not COY in baseball. And in my earlier post, I said its crazy that Hud could be third at the school. Well, Tony being the national COY, and in my opinion, Mike being the UL COY...well that pretty much tells you how great this athletic year has been. Unbelievable.