LSUS Baseball Coach Rocke Musgraves Off To Idaho

There is obvious sadness and excitement around the LSUS Pilots baseball program this weekend as longtime skipper Rocke Musgraves accepts a new coaching position in Idaho.

PRESS RELEASE:

LSU Shreveport's Musgraves Accepts New Coaching Position

SHREVEPORT, La. - LSU Shreveport Athletic Director Chad McDowell has announced today that Rocke Musgraves has accepted the position of Head Baseball Coach at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.  NW Nazarene athletic programs compete at the NCAA Division II level and are a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. 

“Rocke Musgraves is a winner. He has built our baseball program into a NAIA power.  More importantly he has invested and made a positive difference in the lives of so many student-athletes,” commented McDowell.

“I am filled with a mix of emotions right now; I will miss my team and coaches very much,” said Musgraves. “I will also miss my church, Riverpark, and the wonderful pastors and congregation.  I am very thankful for my time at LSUS and will miss my many good friends at this great University. I will always be indebted to Chancellor Marsala, Larry Rambin, Dr. Terry Harris and the Athletic Council for hiring me to be the baseball coach.  Since then I have been fortunate to work with some wonderful people.  Coach McDowell has been very helpful through this process and I would also like to thank former athletic director, Doug Robinson.  My wife, Mitzi, and I have prayed about this and believe this is the direction God has called our family,” Musgraves concluded.

Musgraves spent 14 seasons as the head skipper of the Pilots, building the program into an NAIA power. Throughout Musgraves’ tenure at LSUS, he guided the Pilots to winning seasons in all 14 years including nine straight 40-win seasons.  He notched 586 wins and had just 275 losses at the helm of the Pilots.

Musgraves is responsible for leading the program to great heights, including three regular season conference titles, seven conference tournament titles, and 11 NAIA National Tournament appearances. In three appearances at the Avista-NAIA World Series, Musgraves’ teams finished 4^th in 2011 and third in 2003 and 2012. Prior to his arrival at LSUS, the baseball program had not had a winning season.

"We are very grateful for the many years of dedicated service and the success Coach Musgraves brought to LSU Shreveport.  His enthusiasm for the game of baseball and his players was always evident and will be greatly missed," continued McDowell.

“We wish Coach Musgraves and his family all the best in his new position.”

The LSU Shreveport baseball program will immediately begin the search for their next Head Coach.  During the search period, current Assistant Coach Brett Lavallee will serve as Interim Head Coach.