University of Louisiana - Lafayette Men's Baseball

Seth Thibodeaux begins his third season at Louisiana after joining the Ragin' Cajuns staff in August 2021 as Associate Head Coach/Pitching Coach. Prior to his arrival, Thibodeaux served for 14 seasons - including the previous 11 years as head coach - at in-state program Nicholls. During his 11-year tenure on the Bayou, Thibodeaux recorded 287 wins to rank behind Mike Knight and former Louisiana Baseball coach Ray E. Didier in school history. In his first season in the Ragin' Cajuns dugout, the Church Point native handled a pitching staff which produced the Sun Belt Conference's lowest team ERA (4.24) while ranking among the SBC leaders in opposing batting average (.254), innings pitched (532.1), strikeouts (545), runs allowed (287) and earned runs allowed (251). The SBC weekend rotation of Brandon Talley, Jacob Schultz and Jeff Wilson produced 11 quality starts with 10 coming in the final 36 games of the season. Schultz led Louisiana in innings pitched (82.1) and led the Ragin' Cajuns into the SBC Championship game after a gutsy 142-pitch performance in a complete-game victory over nationally-ranked Texas State. His 2023 staff produced 10-game winner Cooper Rawls - the first Ragin' Cajuns 10-game winner since Gunner Leger in 2017 - and  nine-game winner Jackson Nezuh. As a staff, the Ragin' Cajuns finished second overall in both team ERA (4.87), opponents batting average (.248) and innings pitched (569.2) while leading all SBC programs in fewest runs allowed (328) and shutouts (5). Thibodeaux's staff produced 14 quality starts on the season with Nezuh (4) and Jake Hammond (3) provided half of the total. Thibodeaux has served as the Ragin' Cajuns "Defensive Coordinator" since joining the staff and guided a group in 2022 which ranked among the league leaders in fielding percentage (.972) while finishing 18th nationally in double plays (51), 26th in earned run average (4.24) and 44th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.62). The 2023 edition of the Ragin' Cajuns produced the school's top fielding percentage (.982) - first in the Sun Belt and tied for fourth nationally. During Thibodeaux's tenure at Nicholls, the Colonels advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament on four occasions, securing the No. 2-seed in 2014 and the third seed in 2015. Thibodeaux helped develop four All-SLC first-team selections and along with six Major League Baseball draftees, two Southland Pitchers of the Year (Taylor Byrd 2014, Justin Sinibaldi 2015), a Relief Pitcher of the Year (Stuart Holmes, 2015) and a Newcomer of the Year (Kyle Reese, 2015).   The long-time head coach revitalized the program behind back-to-back 30-plus win seasons in 2014 and 2015 a first for Nicholls since the 1992-93 campaigns as the Colonel pitching staffs consistently ranked as one of the nation's elite for ERA. During the 2014 season, Thibodeauxs pitching staff produced a 2.61 team ERA during the season before notching a 2.47 team ERA the following season.   The upstart Colonels squad of the 2014 season, who just a year prior only managed single-digit wins in league play, propelled Thibodeaux to Southland Coach of the Year as Nicholls finished with a school-best 21-9 mark in SLC competition. Before coming to Nicholls in 2008, Thibodeaux served two years as an assistant coach at SLC-rival Southeastern Louisiana, helping put together two recruiting classes which received national recognition from Baseball America. In his final season in Hammond, Thibodeaux helped SLU to 34 wins, the most for the Lions in a decade and a school-record 16 wins in Southland competition.   Thibodeaux began his college coaching career at Pearl River Community College in 2003. In his second season at PRCC, Thibodeaux lifted the Wildcats to conference and state championship titles as well as a No. 2 national ranking in 2004. In 2005, Thibodeaux helped PRCC repeat as conference champs.   Thibodeaux played two seasons at LSU-Eunice in 2000 before transferring to William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Miss., where he finished his collegiate career and earned his degree in physical education. After graduation, Thibodeaux played one season of professional baseball for the Baton Rouge Riverbats of the independent South East Professional Baseball League. He is married to the former Janelle Austrom who was a soccer and softball player at William Carey College. They are the parents of two daughters, Ella Reese and Blake Adelle. One of eight children, Thibodeaux has a brother, Mike, who is the former head baseball coach and five-time state champion at Lafayette's Teurlings Catholic High School.

Babineaux has been a member of the Ragin' Cajuns coaching staff since 1995. In 2013, Babineaux was named associate head coach and made the move into the dugout as bench coach after serving as the third base coach from 2009-12.   Babineaux is in charge of the Cajuns' infielders and also works with the offense, assists in recruiting and coordinates travel and scheduling.   He served as the Louisiana hitting coach from 2009-12. In his first year as the hitting coach, the Cajuns increased their batting average by 30 points. Runs scored, doubles, triples, RBI, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage also increased.   In 2010, the Cajuns stole 101 bases, which was one off the Sun Belt lead and most since 2002. UL had four players with double-digit stolen bases, also the highest since 2002. Alex Fuselier (20), Kyle Olasin (19) and Brian Bowman (17) finished in the Sun Belt's Top 10.   In 2011, the Cajuns led the Sun Belt Conference in stolen bases with 82.  Three players, Alex Fuselier (14), Mike Petello (13), and Greg Fontenot (12), finished with double-digit stolen bases.   Babineaux has played a major part of several top recruiting classes that have come to Louisiana. Along with assistant coach Jeremy Talbot, he was instrumental in the first-ever top 25 recruiting class in school and Sun Belt history seeing the 2015 class ranked as high as 13th by Collegiate Baseball and 15th by D1Baseball.   His 2011 recruiting class was reranked the 17th best in the nation by D1Baseball after the member of that class helped guide the Cajuns to three straight NCAA tournament appearances and two super regionals.    In 2005, he and former assistant coach John Szefc along with the rest of the Cajuns staff saw their signing class ranked 55th in the nation and tops in the Sun Belt Conference by Collegiate Baseball.   In 2007, Baseball America ranked their signing class tops in the Lower Midwest Region and SBC.   Babineaux's coaching career began as a student assistant in 1995 - Tony Robichaux's first year at UL. In 1996, he served as volunteer assistant and was appointed assistant coach in 1997.   Working with the infielders and hitters, he has helped guide UL to three of the top four single-season batting average totals in school history. Along the way, the Cajuns recorded numerous Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament championships, appeared in 11 NCAA Regionals, advanced to four NCAA Super Regionals and the 2000 College World Series.   Since 2001, Babineaux has helped the Cajuns claim regular season conference championships in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2014 and earn regional bids in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2014. During that span the Ragin Cajuns have also captured back-to-back regional championships in 2014 and 2015.   In spring 2012, College Baseball Insider tabbed Babineaux as the Assistant Coach in the Sun Belt Conference most ready for a head coaching job.   From 1990-2000, Babineaux coached a Third District West American Legion team and guided his squads to five titles (1993, 1997-2000), seven regional appearances (1990, 1993, 1996-2000) and two state tournaments (1998 & 1999). In 1998, he guided his squad to a state title, Midwest Regional appearance and fell just two games short of a spot in the American Legion National World Series.   Babineaux is a 1995 graduate of UL, earning a degree in health and physical education. He came to UL in 1990 from Carencro High School. He was a two-time all-district and all-parish selection for the Bears. He gained all-state and all-district honors with his talent on the trumpet and has played the "Star Spangled Banner" both at "Tigue" Moore Field and Lamson Park.   He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and has served as guest speaker at many clinics around Louisiana.   Babineaux is married to former UL softball star Joni Podhorez of Tucker, Ga. The couple reside in Lafayette and have two daughters, Brooklyn and Sydney. Anthony Babineaux has been a member of the Ragin' Cajuns coaching staff since 1995. In 2013, Babineaux was named associate head coach and made the move into the dugout as bench coach after serving as the third base coach from 2009-12.   Babineaux is in charge of the Cajuns' infielders and also works with the offense, assists in recruiting and coordinates travel and scheduling.   He served as the Louisiana hitting coach from 2009-12. In his first year as the hitting coach, the Cajuns increased their batting average by 30 points. Runs scored, doubles, triples, RBI, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage also increased.   In 2010, the Cajuns stole 101 bases, which was one off the Sun Belt lead and most since 2002. UL had four players with double-digit stolen bases, also the highest since 2002. Alex Fuselier (20), Kyle Olasin (19) and Brian Bowman (17) finished in the Sun Belt's Top 10.   In 2011, the Cajuns led the Sun Belt Conference in stolen bases with 82.  Three players, Alex Fuselier (14), Mike Petello (13), and Greg Fontenot (12), finished with double-digit stolen bases.   Babineaux has played a major part of several top recruiting classes that have come to Louisiana. Along with assistant coach Jeremy Talbot, he was instrumental in the first-ever top 25 recruiting class in school and Sun Belt history seeing the 2015 class ranked as high as 13th by Collegiate Baseball and 15th by D1Baseball.   His 2011 recruiting class was reranked the 17th best in the nation by D1Baseball after the member of that class helped guide the Cajuns to three straight NCAA tournament appearances and two super regionals.    In 2005, he and former assistant coach John Szefc along with the rest of the Cajuns staff saw their signing class ranked 55th in the nation and tops in the Sun Belt Conference by Collegiate Baseball.   In 2007, Baseball America ranked their signing class tops in the Lower Midwest Region and SBC.   Babineaux's coaching career began as a student assistant in 1995 - Tony Robichaux's first year at UL. In 1996, he served as volunteer assistant and was appointed assistant coach in 1997.   Working with the infielders and hitters, he has helped guide UL to three of the top four single-season batting average totals in school history. Along the way, the Cajuns recorded numerous Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament championships, appeared in 11 NCAA Regionals, advanced to four NCAA Super Regionals and the 2000 College World Series.   Since 2001, Babineaux has helped the Cajuns claim regular season conference championships in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2014 and earn regional bids in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2014. During that span the Ragin Cajuns have also captured back-to-back regional championships in 2014 and 2015.   In spring 2012, College Baseball Insider tabbed Babineaux as the Assistant Coach in the Sun Belt Conference most ready for a head coaching job.   From 1990-2000, Babineaux coached a Third District West American Legion team and guided his squads to five titles (1993, 1997-2000), seven regional appearances (1990, 1993, 1996-2000) and two state tournaments (1998 & 1999). In 1998, he guided his squad to a state title, Midwest Regional appearance and fell just two games short of a spot in the American Legion National World Series.   Babineaux is a 1995 graduate of UL, earning a degree in health and physical education. He came to UL in 1990 from Carencro High School. He was a two-time all-district and all-parish selection for the Bears. He gained all-state and all-district honors with his talent on the trumpet and has played the "Star Spangled Banner" both at "Tigue" Moore Field and Lamson Park.   He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and has served as guest speaker at many clinics around Louisiana.   Babineaux is married to former UL softball star Joni Podhorez of Tucker, Ga. The couple reside in Lafayette and have two daughters, Brooklyn and Sydney.