Tom Dodge
LSUE athletics won 12 national titles in 14 seasons including every year since 2010.
The Lady Bengal softball team won NJCAA Division II championships in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019.
The Bengal baseball program earned titles in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2018.
The Bengals’ sixth title set the new NJCAA Division II record, passing Grand Rapid’s five championships.
“We have been very fortunate to have the success on the field and in the classroom because of the tremendous young men that have come through our doors,” LSUE head coach Jeff Willis said.
“Their willingness to learn and grow into the best version of themselves cannot be described or put into words.
“Our assistant coaches have been a cornerstone to our success and we certainly wouldn’t be where we are without them,” Willis said.
Over the past decade, LSUE baseball had a 503-97 record (.838 win percentage) while receiving 14 All-American nominations, nine ABCA/Rawlings Gold Gloves, and five National Player of the Year awards.
Along with its sixth national titles, LSU Eunice has nine NJCAA Division II World Series trips and won 830 games since Jeff Willis took over the baseball program in 2003.
Zach Hester was named the 2018 NJCAA Male Student-Athlete of the Year.
In 2018, Hester enjoyed one of the best single-seasons in LSU Eunice athletic history.
The pitcher was named the NJCAA Division II National Pitcher of the Year, the World Series Pitcher of the Tournament, a first-team NJCAA All-American and first-team All-Region 23.
Hester led the Bengals to the school’s NJCAA record sixth National Championship as he went 13-1 on the season with a 2.34 earned run average, striking out 133 batters.
His wins and strikeout totals both were tops in NJCAA Division II.
In 2015, LSUE shortstop Brennan Bozeman was one of three recipients of the NJCAA Division II Baseball Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Bozeman, registered a .984 fielding percentage, which included four errors in 59 games.
He was named the Region 23 Defensive Player of the Year. He ranked second nationally with 164 assists while recording 76 putouts and 16 double plays on the season.
Stuart Turner earned NJCAA Div. II Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012, helping lead the Bengals to their fourth national championship.
The Eunice High standout posted a .994 fielding percentage behind the plate with 346 putouts, 54 assists and just three errors.
He threw out 16 base runners trying to steal during the season out of 27 attempts (.628).
In addition, Turner posted a .332 batting average with 13 doubles, six home runs and 49 runs batted in.
Turner was also honored as a 2012 NJCAA DII Rawlings Gold Glove honoree.
Raph Rymes was named NJCAA Div. II National Player of the Year in 2010 and was instrumental in LSUE’s run to the 2010 DII World Series title.
Rhymes was the top RBI producer in the DII ranks, driving in 94 runs on the year to go with a .491 batting average (7th in NJCAA DII).
His 105 total hits for the season also led all batters nationally and his 28 doubles were also tied for the top spot.
Rhymes had 12 home runs on the season and posted a slugging percentage of .827.
Jacob Fisher earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010.
As the starting catcher for 2010 national champi on Bengals, Fisher threw out 21 of 35 would-be base stealers.
Fisher hit .316 for the season with nine home runs and 71 RBI and received Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
“My goal has never been to win championships, my goal has always been to strive to make quality men, quality husbands, and quality fathers,” Willis said. “As we’ve seen these young men grow and become great husbands and fathers, I look back and know that we are truly winning,” the coach said of his former players.
“I’ve always said that when I’m dead and gone and I go to meet the Big Man Upstairs, He will not ask me how many wins or championships did you have, He will ask me what did you do with all the young people I sent your way,” Willis said.