Lavallee named interim head coach at LSU-Shreveport
Brent Lavallee (North Delta, BC), former North Delta Blue Jay, was named interim taking over for Al Cantwell (Saint John, N.B.) running the LSU-Shreveport Pilots.
Tuesday, AUG. 9, 2016 AT 2:25 PM
LAVALLEE TO LEAD THE PILOTS IN 2016-17
SHREVEPORT, La. – LSU Shreveport Athletic Director Lucas Morgan had another tough task to handle during his first month at the helm of the LSUS Athletic Department when former baseball coach Al Cantwell (Saint John, N.B.) resigned to pursue another opportunity. Fortunately for Morgan he did not have to look far as he named assistant coach Brent Lavallee (North Delta, BC) the interim head coach for the upcoming 2016-17 season.
“Coach Lavallee was an easy choice to lead us in 2016-17,” said LSUS athletic director Lucas Morgan. “He’s been part of the program for a long time and the wellbeing of our student-athletes is a top priority for him. It also doesn’t hurt that he knows how to win! I have no doubt our baseball program is in good hands.”
“It feels great,” said coach Lavallee who begins his 12th year in Shreveport. “I have had such a great experience at LSUS and to have been here for this long and to finally be in this position, I am at a loss for words. I look forward to leading these young men and helping them attain their degrees as well as win some championships along the way. There are so many people to thank for this opportunity, I don’t know where to start. I am looking forward to the future at LSU Shreveport.”
Lavallee began his coaching career at LSUS as the graduate assistant for the 2011 and 2012 seasons and has been on the full-time staff since 2013 under former coaches Rocke Musgraves (2013) and Cantwell (2014-2016). Since 2013 he has been the Pitching Coach where he has led the group to setting the school’s record of the lowest Earned Run Average of 3.09 in the 2015 season and the season before his staff had the third lowest in team history at 3.46. The 2013 staff set the school record with 15 shutouts under his leadership.
Now he will lead the club into and through the 2017 season as the Pilots look to build on their winning tradition with an already proven winner. As a player and coach at LSUS, Lavallee has been a part of two of the Pilots three trips to Lewiston at the Avista-NAIA World Series (2011 and 2012), all four regular season conference titles (2005, 2011, 2012, 2014), and eight of nine conference tournament titles (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).
Lavallee played four seasons (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009) at LSUS and compiled a career average of .302 and belted 28 homers, which ranks 4th on the all-time home run list at LSUS, and drove in 133 runs.
The Pilots will begin the 2017 season at home on Friday, January 21, at 6 p.m. against Wayland Baptist University.