2025 NCAA National Champion LSU baseball team to visit White House on Monday
2025 NCAA National Champion LSU baseball team to visit White House on Monday
TONIGHT’S VICTORY. CELEBRATION. ALEX BOX STADIUM, SKIP BERTMAN FIELD, THE HOME OF THE 2025 NCAA BASEBALL COLLEGE WORLD SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR TONIGHT’S CELEBRATION. LSU ATHLETICS WOULD LIKE TO THANK HANCOCK WHITNEY FOR BEING OUR CHAMPIONSHIP PARTNER THIS EVENING AS WE BEGIN OUR CELEBRATION TONIGHT, WE’D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FIRST A FEW VERY SPECIAL GROUPS THAT ARE INSTRUMENTAL TO THE BASEBALL PROGRAM’S SUCCESS. SO PLEASE DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FIRST BASE DUGOUT. AS WE RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENT SUPPORT STAFF FOR LSU BASEBALL. FIRST, OUR STUDENT ATHLETICS TRAINERS. MADISON CIMAROLI. DEREK LATHAN. OUR STUDENT MANAGERS, JACOB ADAMS, CHRISTOPHER ANGEL. PAUL LOOP. BLAINE NICHOLSON, JACOB CALDERARA. MICHAEL COOGAN, RYAN LOVATO. JONATHAN SCHMIDT. OUR STUDENT ANALYTICS MANAGERS HUNTER GRENFELL. JACOB HIRSCH, JEFFREY LUPO. CRAFTON. BLAIR. AND NOW LET’S WELCOME OUR VALUABLE SUPPORT STAFF. DIETICIAN KAYLA LAWSON. TEAM. DOCTOR. DOCTOR JAMES ROBINSON, ALEX BOX STADIUM GENERAL MANAGER AND EQUIPMENT MANAGER MATTHEW MONTGOMERY. ATHLETIC TRAINING INTERN BAILEY HILL. ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC TRAINER ISAAC TRUJILLO. ASSISTANT STRENGTH COACH EZRA SAM PERRY. HEAD STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH CHRIS MARTIN. GRADUATE ASSISTANT BEN NIPPOLT DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS CHAMP. DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. PITCHING JAMIE TUTKO. DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. OFFENSE. MARC WANAKA. AND NOW OUR 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPION. ASSISTANT COACHES. ASSISTANT COACH JOSH SIMPSON. ASSISTANT COACH. RECRUITING COORDINATOR. JOSH JORDAN. PITCHING COACH NATE YESKEY. AND NOW LET’S MEET OUR 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPION FIGHTING TIGER PLAYERS. NUMBER ZERO CATCHER CADE AARON. NUMBER FIVE, INFIELDER TANNER REESE. NUMBER EIGHT PITCHER GAVIN GUIDRY. NUMBER NINE PITCHER WILLIAM SCHMIDT. NUMBER 11 OUTFIELDER JOSH PEARSON. NUMBER 13 OUTFIELDER MIC PAUL. NUMBER 20 PITCHER KASON EVANS. NUMBER 26 PITCHER ZACH COWARD. NUMBER 27 PITCHER JADEN NOOT. NUMBER 29 PITCHER COOPER WILLIAMS. NUMBER 30 CATCHER EDWARD YOUNGMAN. THE FOURTH. NUMBER 33 OUTFIELDER DALTON BECK. NUMBER 34 PITCHER CHASE SHORES. NUMBER 35 PITCHER JACOB MEYERS. NUMBER 41 PITCHER D.J. PRIMO. NUMBER 43 PITCHER CONNOR BENGE. NUMBER 44 OUTFIELDER ASHTON LARSON. NUMBER 47 INFIELDER JOHN PEARSON. NUMBER 48 PITCHER MAVERICK RIZZI. NUMBER 52 PITCHER GRANT FONTENOT. NUMBER 55. PITCHER CONNOR WARE. AND NOW THE PLAYERS THAT ARE IN THE STARTING BATTING ORDER FOR THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS. TWO GAME SWEEP OF COASTAL CAROLINA. FINAL. SCORES OF ONE TO NOTHING AND 5 TO 3 AS THE TIGERS SECURE LSU’S EIGHTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. THE STARTING LINEUP LEADING OFF PLAYING LEFT FIELD NUMBER SIX DEREK CURIEL. BATTING SECOND DESIGNATED HITTER, NUMBER 16 ETHAN FRY. BATTING THIRD SHORTSTOP. NUMBER FOUR. STEPHEN SMILA. BATTING FOURTH RIGHT FIELDER. NUMBER SEVEN JAKE BROWN. BATTING FIFTH, FIRST BASEMAN NUMBER 22 JARED JONES. BATTING SIXTH CATCHER. NUMBER 23 LUIS HERNANDEZ. BATTING SEVENTH CENTER FIELDER. NUMBER ONE CHRIS STANFIELD. BATTING EIGHTH, SECOND BASEMAN. NUMBER 14 DANIEL DICKINSON. BATTING NINTH. THIRD BASEMAN. NUMBER TEN MICHAEL BRASWELL. THE THIRD. THE STARTING PITCHER IN GAME TWO OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS, NUMBER 24 ANTHONY ANSAH. THE STARTING PITCHER IN GAME ONE OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS. THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER, NUMBER 32. CADE. ANDERSON. DUE TO LSU, LSU, LSU, LSU AND FINALLY, PLEASE WELCOME THE HEAD COACH OF YOUR FIGHTING TIGERS, THE NUMBER ONE COACH IN COLLEGE BASEBALL. JAY JOHNSON. WE ARE THESE THESE ARE X. KREWE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE SO MANY VERY SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US TONIGHT THAT WE WANT YOU TO MEET. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I’D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE. GENTLEMEN WHO CAME HERE 42 YEARS AGO IN 1983. HE LEFT A VERY SOLID JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AS THEIR PITCHING COACH. HE BROUGHT HIS WIFE AND HIS FOUR YOUNG DAUGHTERS TO BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, TO CREATE A BASEBALL PROGRAM AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY. AND THE RESULT IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE. THE GREATEST COLLEGE BASEBALL PROGRAM IN THE NATION. THANKS TO THE MAN OF ALL, THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME, SKIP BERTMAN. LSU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS I SAID, A LOT OF VERY SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US TONIGHT THAT WERE HONORED TO WELCOME TO CAMPUS THIS EVENING. SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME, FIRST OF ALL, THE GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE HONORABLE JEFF LANDRY. GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE WE DOING TODAY? I MEAN, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT I LOOK, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE JUST A MOMENT BECAUSE THERE’S A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO THIS STADIUM AT EVERY ONE OF THE GAMES THAT HELPS TO MAKE OUR LIVES SO MUCH SAFER AND SO MUCH BETTER. AND THAT IS THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THE POLICE OFFICERS, THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AT THE GATE, THE FELLAS BEHIND THE CONCESSION. HOW ABOUT WE GIVE THEM A GREAT ROUND OF APPLAUSE? YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK AND CONGRATULATE COACH JAY JOHNSON AND THE ENTIRE LSU TIGERS BASEBALL TEAM. JAY, YOUR ABILITY TO PUT THIS GROUP OF YOUNG MEN TOGETHER, JUST A SPECIAL GROUP OF YOUNG MEN WHO YOU BELIEVED IN AND THEY BELIEVED IN YOU IS WHAT I BELIEVE MADE THIS TEAM SO SPECIAL. YOU AND THIS TEAM SHOWCASED TO THE WORLD HOW GREAT LOUISIANA REALLY IS. TO ALL OF LSU FANS OUT THERE THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT, I MEAN IT IT SEEMS LIKE WE LOVE THIS STADIUM SO MUCH. YOU JUST COME OUT HERE NO MATTER WHAT. JUST A PARTY, RIGHT? BUT IT’S YOUR BELIEF IN THIS PROGRAM THAT IS SYMBOLIC THAT WE NEVER, EVER GIVE UP, THAT WE SUPPORT OUR TEAM NO MATTER WHAT. THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE YOUNG MEN, THE PEOPLE WHO PUT ON THE UNIFORM HERE AT LSU, ARE WINNERS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SPECIAL WHEN SHARON AND I VISITED OMAHA AND SATURDAY WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE GOVERNOR OF NEBRASKA AND HIS WIFE. AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT HE SAID ABOUT YOU. HE SAID THAT IN OMAHA AND IN NEBRASKA, WE LOVE LSU. HE REPEATEDLY COMPLIMENTED THE PEOPLE FROM LOUISIANA. HOW HOSPITABLE WE WERE, HOW WELCOMING WE ARE, HOW GENUINE WE ARE. AND HE SAID, THE THING THAT PEOPLE IN OMAHA LOVE THE BEST IS WHEN THEY’RE WATCHING COLLEGE BASEBALL. AND THEY KNOW THAT LSU IS GOING TO OMAHA. AND I THINK THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM IS A LESSON FOR THE ENTIRE STATE THAT WITH GRIT, WITH DETERMINATION, WITH DISCIPLINE AND WITH PATIENCE, EVERYONE CAN BE A CHAMPION. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I THINK THAT. COACH SKIP, HE SAID IT BEST ON AN INTERVIEW WITH ESPN ON SUNDAY. COACH, I’LL NEVER FORGET THIS. YOU YOU ASK, WHAT MAKES THESE YOUNG MEN PLAY SO HARD? WHAT MAKES THEM CHAMPIONS? AND YOU SAID WHEN YOU COME TO LSU, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO WIN. IS THAT NOT WHAT YOU SAID, COACH? THAT YOU ARE CHAMPIONS FROM THE DAY YOU WALK IN THERE BECAUSE YOU’RE EXPECTED TO WIN AND GOD BLESS YOU, COACH. GOD BLESS YOU. AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT’S A MOTTO WE SHOULD ALL ADOPT, THAT WE SHOULD ALL RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY TIME WE GET UP AND ANYTHING THAT WE DO THAT WE CAN BE CHAMPIONS TOO. AND I THINK YOU CAN SHOW THE WORLD HOW GREAT WE INDIVIDUALLY CAN BE. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, IT’S NOT THE THINGS THAT WE BRAG ABOUT DOING. IT’S THE THINGS THAT WE DO. IT’S THE THINGS THAT WE DO, LIKE COACH, LIKE BRINGING THIS TROPHY TO BATON ROUGE FOR THE EIGHTH TIME IN A ROW. GOD BLESS YOU. GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND GOD BLESS LSU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY, THANK YOU. SO THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM SOME OF YOUR FIGHTING TIGER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYERS. FIRST OF ALL, I’D LIKE TO WELCOME UP HERE TO THE PODIUM TO JOIN ME. SENIOR FROM WEST MONROE, LOUISIANA. JOSH PEARSON. AND BEFORE WE SPEAK TO JOSH, LET’S WATCH SOME OF HIS POSTSEASON HIGHLIGHTS THAT LED THE TIGERS TO THE TITLE. HIT HIGH IN THE AIR TO RIGHT FIELD GOING BACK. IS SWAIN TO THE WALL. IT’S GONE. SECOND GRAND SLAM OF THE DAY. JOSH PEARSON WITH HIS SECOND GRAND SLAM. TIGERS NOW MAKING 16 TO 5. GRAND SLAM BY JOSH PEARSON TO HELP DEFEAT WEST VIRGINIA RIGHT HERE IN THE SUPER REGIONAL. ONE OF NUMEROUS BIG HITS JOSH HAS HAD THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER. IN FACT, HE’S KNOWN AS POSTSEASON PEARSON AROUND HERE BECAUSE HE EXCELS IN THE BIGGEST MOMENTS IN THE MOST CLUTCH SITUATIONS. THREE TIMES IN THREE DIFFERENT SEASONS. JOSH PEARSON HAS BEEN ON AN NCAA REGIONAL ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM, AND THIS YEAR, OF COURSE, HE HELPED LEAD THE TIGERS TO THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES WITH HITS LIKE THAT GRAND SLAM AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA. SO LET’S SEE, JOSH, WE’VE GOT A MICROPHONE FOR YOU. YEP. JOSH, ONE OF THE MANTRAS THAT COACH JOHNSON PREACHED ALL YEAR WAS HOW CONSISTENT YOU GUYS WERE. CONSISTENT COMING HERE TO WORK EVERY DAY, LOVING WHAT YOU DO. CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO THE BALLPARK TO GET READY TO PREPARE FOR A GAME OR FOR PRACTICE. CONSISTENCY WAS A HALLMARK OF THIS TEAM. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO REPRESENT THAT IS LSU NEVER DROPPED OUT OF THE TOP TEN THE ENTIRE SEASON. THIS TEAM WAS RANKED IN THE TOP TEN IN THE NATION AND RANKED AS HIGH AS NUMBER ONE THE ENTIRE YEAR. THAT IS A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY. JOSH, TALK ABOUT THAT. WHAT MADE YOU GUYS SO CONSISTENT AND SO EAGER TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY? YEAH, I MEAN, IT’S JUST KIND OF BRINGING IT EVERY DAY. I MEAN, GUYS LOVE BEING HERE. ME AND JAKE BROWN ALWAYS JOKE ABOUT HOW WE SHOW UP LIKE TWO HOURS EARLY FOR A RANDOM PRACTICE ON A WEDNESDAY, AND IT’S JUST BECAUSE WE LOVE BEING HERE. I MEAN, WE LOVE PLAYING FOR LSU. WE DON’T HAVE MANY OFF DAYS AT ALL. COACH. COACH HAS US BRING IT EVERY DAY. AND I MEAN, IT’S BEEN A BLESSING THESE PAST FOUR YEARS. AND I MEAN, I THINK I’M GOING TO MISS JUST BEING IN THE LOCKER ROOM WITH THE GUYS FOR SURE. YOU, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN HERE FOR FOUR SEASONS. YOU’RE THE ONLY PLAYER ON THE SQUAD TO HAVE BEEN WITH COACH JOHNSON ALL FOUR YEARS. SO YOU GUYS KIND OF GREW UP TOGETHER HERE. YOU BOTH ARRIVED HERE IN THE FALL OF 2021. JUST TALK ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH COACH JOHNSON AND HOW HE INSPIRES YOU GUYS TO THE HEIGHTS THAT YOU’VE REACHED. YEAH, I MEAN, HE’S THE BEST COACH I’VE EVER SEEN. HE WHENEVER HE RECRUITED ME HERE WELL, HE DIDN’T RECRUIT ME HERE, BUT HE TOOK A CHANCE ON ME. AND I MEAN, IT’S BEEN THE GREATEST FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE. LIKE I SAID, HE BRINGS IT EVERY DAY. I MEAN, HE’S A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR US. HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HOW WE’RE BETTER PEOPLE THAN WE ARE PLAYERS. AND I CAN SAY THE SAME FOR HIM. I MEAN, HE’S A GREAT PERSON. I LOVE BEING AROUND HIM EVERY DAY AND I’M DEFINITELY GOING TO MISS HIM. BUT I’LL BE CALLING HIM A LOT FOR SURE. SO OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THIS GUY HAS TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS. ALSO A HUGE PART OF LSU’S 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND THIS SUMMER, JOSH PEARSON PEARSON IS SCHEDULED TO EARN HIS LSU DEGREE. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR COMING GRADUATION. AND EVEN BETTER NEWS, THE PEARSON LEGACY WILL CONTINUE AT LSU. AS YOU KNOW, JOSH’S YOUNGER BROTHER, JOHN, WAS A FRESHMAN ON THE 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. JOSH, JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU FOR YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER TO TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY AND FOR YOUR FAMILY TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED WITH LSU BASEBALL. YEAH, I MEAN, WE’VE WE GREW UP DREAMING OF THIS MOMENT. AND I MEAN, PLAYING WIFFLE BALL IN THE BACKYARD. I KNOW MY PARENTS ARE HERE. THEY THEY REMEMBER WE USED TO TALK ABOUT PRETENDING TO PLAY AT LSU AND FOR TO BE ON THE TEAM WITH THEM. THIS YEAR WAS AN HONOR. IT’S BEEN A LOT OF FUN. AND I MEAN, I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE NEXT FEW YEARS FOR HIM AND KIND OF HOW THEY UNFOLD. SUPER PROUD OF HIM. AND WE’VE BEEN ROOMMATES THIS YEAR, SO IT’S BEEN A BLAST. I HAVEN’T HAD TO CLEAN MY ROOM NEAR AS MUCH, SO IT’S BEEN FUN FOR SURE. JOSH, NATIONAL CHAMPION. ALL RIGHT, NOW, TIME TO WELCOME ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL GUEST TO THE PODIUM, THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, THE HONORABLE COACH, SID EDWARDS. WHAT WHAT AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT WITH ALL OF YOU, COACH. AND TO ALL YOU PLAYERS. CONGRATULATIONS. I GET ASKED OFTEN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW I’M GONNA LIKE IT NOW, COACH. YOU KNOW, I WAS A COACH, TOO, RIGHT? OKAY, SO I GET ASKED, ARE YOU THE MAYOR OF BATON ROUGE? I CAN PROUDLY SAY NO. I AM THE MAYOR OF TITLETOWN WITH THE LSU TIGERS. SO VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT, COACH. AND TO THE YOUNG MEN, THIS IS A CELEBRATION AND EVERYONE’S HAPPY. BUT BY ME BEING IN THIS PROFESSION AS WELL, I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AND THE LONG HOURS AND THE GRIND. COACH, I GOT ONE QUESTION. WHEN DID YOU WHEN DID YOU COME BACK TO WORK AFTER YOU WON THE TITLE? Y’ALL CELEBRATED IN DOGPILED. HOW HOW QUICK WERE YOU BACK AT WORK WHEN WE LANDED THE PLANE? THAT’S THE THING. WE HE NEEDS A BIG HAND. OUR NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR. MIND YOU. SO, LIKE ME, LIKE MANY, WE KNOW WHAT GOES ON BEHIND IT. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU MEN. I MEAN, VERY SPECIAL. I’M EXCITED FOR YOU. AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF AWARDS WE’D LIKE TO GIVE COACH REAL QUICK. ONE IS FROM OUR METRO COUNCIL WHO ARE VERY PROUD. AREA CODE 225. VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS. AND THEY WANTED TO GIVE YOU THIS CERTIFICATE OF CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR TEAM. AND ALSO TO YOU FOR COACH OF THE YEAR. YOU’RE THIS IS THIS IS BIGGER THAN THE NCAA AWARD CEREMONY. AND COACH WE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE KEY TO THE CITY. IT OPENS EVERYTHING UP OPENS EVERYTHING FROM GOVERNMENT STREET TO THE PARISH LINE. GEAUX TIGERS. THANK YOU, MAYOR SAINT EDWARDS. ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT PLAYER GUEST COMING UP TO THE PODIUM. THE SOPHOMORE FROM LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO, THE GREATEST SHORTSTOP IN COLLEGE BASEBALL. STEVEN SMILA. LET’S WATCH STEVEN MILAM WORK HIS MAGIC UP ON THE VIDEO BOARD. HERE’S THE ONE ZERO. MILAM SWINGS TOWARDS THE ALLEY, RIGHT CENTER FIELD. IT’S GOING TO GET DOWN ON ONE HOP HANDLED BY MAXWELL. HE BOBBLED IT MOMENTARILY AND MILAM SLIDING IN SAFELY AT SECOND BASE WITH A ONE OUT DOUBLE LAUNCH IN THE AIR. GOING TO BE A BASE HIT. THEY’RE GOING TO SEND THE RUNNER MILAM. THE THROW FROM BABYLON CUT OFF AND GURRIEL DELIVERS THE RBI SINGLE WITH AN ZERO TWO COUNT TO STEVEN MILAM, A MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM. STEVEN, YOU HAD A REMARKABLE RUN IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT. IT’S ALWAYS THE GREATEST. PLAYERS EXCEL IN THE BIGGEST MOMENTS, AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID THIS YEAR. LISTEN TO THESE NUMBERS, FOLKS. IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, STEVEN MILAM PRODUCED 13 RUNS BATTED IN OVER THE COURSE OF THE ENTIRE TOURNAMENT, INCLUDING THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES, FIVE DOUBLES, A GRAND SLAM HOME RUN HE SCORED 13 TIMES, AND ALONG WITH ALL OF THAT, HE’S ALSO THE BEST DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP IN THE COUNTRY. HE MADE ONLY FIVE ERRORS ALL SEASON. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. STEVEN, CONGRATULATIONS. JUST YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THIS POSITION. I KNOW IT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE DREAMED OF WHEN YOU FIRST SIGNED WITH LSU. YEAH. IT’S AWESOME. YOU KNOW, COMING FROM LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO, YOU GUYS TOOK ME IN WITH OPEN ARMS. COACH JOHNSON GAVE ME A CHANCE. AND YOU KNOW, I CAN’T EVEN PUT IT INTO WORDS WHAT IT IS TO ME IN A NATIONAL CHAMPION. NOW. SO WHEN FALL PRACTICE STARTED LAST FALL, THERE WAS A BIT OF AN OPEN COMPETITION, COACH JOHNSON SAID. FOR THE SHORTSTOP POSITION. AND WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT INFIELDERS. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, MICHAEL BRACEWELL, THE THIRD, DANIEL DICKINSON, STEVEN MILAM SO THERE WAS AN OPEN COMPETITION AT SHORTSTOP AND EVEN GOING INTO THE SPRING. COACH SAID HE WASN’T QUITE SURE YET WHO WOULD TAKE THAT ROLE ON, BUT STEVEN EMBRACED IT. AND I KNOW DURING THE OFF SEASON, YOU HAD SOME TIME DURING THE FALL WHERE YOU HAD TO MISS SOME PRACTICE SO YOU DIDN’T GET THE REPS YOU NEEDED, BUT DURING THE OFF SEASON, YOU WORKED VERY HARD TO PREPARE TO BECOME THE STARTING SHORTSTOP HERE. TALK ABOUT THAT OFFSEASON, HOW YOU WENT BACK HOME, HOW YOU WORKED WITH YOUR DAD AND HOW THAT MADE YOU A BETTER PLAYER. YEAH, COACH JOHNSON SAID. I’LL NEED TO BE TAKING GROUND BALLS AT SHORT AND THIRD. SO ME AND MY DAD WENT BACK TO NEW MEXICO STATE AND HE SHOT ME PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF GROUND BALLS AND JUST DID FOOTWORK AND EVERYTHING AND JUST GOT READY FOR THE SEASON. ABSOLUTELY. THEY PAID OFF IN A HUGE WAY. OBVIOUSLY. SO YOU GUYS MAY HAVE HEARD OF ANOTHER PRETTY FAMOUS LSU PLAYER FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO NAMED ALEX BREGMAN. I THINK EVEN ALEX BREGMAN WOULD SAY THAT STEVEN MILAM IS AS GOOD OR BETTER DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP THAN HE WAS. BUT YOU KNOW, ALEX. WELL, JUST YOUR THOUGHTS, STEVEN, ON HAVING BALLPLAYERS LIKE ALEX BREGMAN, WHO OBVIOUSLY ARE AT THE TOP OF THE MAJOR LEAGUE LEVEL, AND SO MANY OF THOSE GUYS COME TO LSU. YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INFLUENCE THEY HAVE ON ATTRACTING YOUNG PLAYERS LIKE YOU TO COME TO SCHOOL HERE? YEAH, I MEAN, IT’S AWESOME. IT’S THE REASON WHY YOU COME TO LSU TO BE A BIG LEAGUER. AND YOU KNOW HE’S GOING TO BE IN THE HALL OF FAME ONE DAY. BUT YOU KNOW, I SAW HIM MAKE THAT SPIN AND PLAY IN THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES. AND THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO GO. AND HE KIND OF PAVED THAT WAY FOR ME. AND FINALLY, I KNOW YOU’VE COME TO LEARN WHAT AN IMPACT YOU GUYS HAVE ON THIS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE AND AND THE KIDS THAT LOOK UP TO YOU. I KNOW YOU’RE A YOU’RE A FAVORITE AMONG THE AMONG THE YOUNGSTERS. JUST YOUR THOUGHT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU FOR YOU GUYS TO BE SUCH GREAT REPRESENTATIVES OF LSU AND THE FACT THAT KIDS LOOK UP TO YOU AND WHAT YOU GUYS DO? WELL, I MEAN, IT’S AWESOME. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE COUNTRY. YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE HERE EVERY NIGHT. YOU GUYS ARE HERE FOR BEARS. WALK OFF 117 IN THE MORNING. I MEAN, I WOULDN’T TRADE IT FOR THE WORLD. SO THANK YOU GUYS. STEVEN MILAM EVERYBODY. AS YOU KNOW LSU IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHICH OVERSEES LOUISIANA’S FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY AND ITS MANY CAMPUSES AT THIS TIME. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, SCOTT BALLARD. WOW. HOW GREAT IS IT TO BE A TIGER? GOOD EVENING. IT IS MY HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I WANT TO FIRST THANK GOVERNOR LANDRY AND OUR FIRST LADY. OUR LEGISLATORS. THE GOVERNOR, THE MAYOR, WHICH WE CALL COACH MAYOR EDWARDS, MY COLLEAGUES AND THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WHO ARE HERE. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. PRESIDENT LEE AND OUR AMAZING LSU TIGER FANS FOR SUPPORTING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, BECAUSE THEY ARE STUDENT ATHLETES. OUR ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC TEAMS, OUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND OUR GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA ARE WINNING ON EVERY LEVEL IMAGINABLE. BUT TODAY WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE METICULOUS PRECISION AND STRATEGY OF OUR GREAT COACH, JAY JOHNSON, AND OUR NATIONAL CHAMPION BASEBALL TEAM IN BRINGING HOME ANOTHER NATTY TO LSU. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR COACH, JAY JOHNSON. WE’RE GOING TO DO THAT A LOT. COACH WHO HAS WON NOT ONE BUT TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CHIPS IN THREE YEARS. AND AS COACH WOULD SAY, WE’RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT OUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL TEAM WHO HAD A LASER FOCUSED EXECUTION AND SET A RECORD OF BEING THE UNDEFEATED IN THE 2025 NCAA COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINAL. LET’S GIVE THEM A APPLAUSE. GREAT JOB GUYS. YOU’RE THE ONLY ONES THAT DID THAT. ON BEHALF OF THE LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATE OUR COACH AND OUR CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL TEAM ON THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR INTIMIDATORS GROWING FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU AND GO TIGERS! THANK YOU SO MUCH. SCOTT BALLARD, CHAIRMAN OF OUR LSU BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TAKE A LOOK BEFORE WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO BOARD. LET’S WELCOME A YOUNG MAN. I KNOW THAT YOU’RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. HE GOT A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE EARLIER TONIGHT. HE IS THE MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES IN 2025 FROM MADISONVILLE, LOUISIANA. SOPHOMORE PITCHER CADE ANDERSON. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBER ONE PITCHER IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. RUNNERS FIRST AND SECOND. TWO OUTS. THE OH TWO PITCH SWING AND A MISS GOT HIM WITH A BREAKING BALL DOWN AND AWAY TO THE RIGHT HANDED HITTER. COME SET. FIRES AND A CALLED STRIKE THREE. RING HIM UP. TAKES HIS LEAD. THIS ONE LAUNCHED IN THE AIR RIGHT FIELD JAKE BROWN UNDERNEATH IT JAKE BROWN HAS IT. AND THE TIGERS WIN. TIGERS WIN. COMPLETE GAME VICTORY FOR CADE ANDERSON ONE. NOTHING. ONE NOTHING VICTORY IN GAME ONE OF THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS FOR CADE ANDERSON, A COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT, ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN LSU’S GLORIOUS COLLEGE WORLD SERIES HISTORY THAT A TIGER FIRED A COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT IN OMAHA. AND THIS YOUNG MAN DID IT FIRST TIME SINCE 1993 WITH BRETT LAXTON. HOWEVER, DESPITE AN INCREDIBLE SEASON INCLUDING THAT GAME, 12 VICTORIES, ONE THING THAT ALWAYS DISTINGUISHES CADE AND WE LEARNED THIS IN THOSE OF US WHO WORK WITH MEDIA, LEARN THIS AFTER EVERY GAME, EVEN AFTER A GREAT GAME THAT HE WON, HE NEVER WAS SATISFIED. HE ALWAYS THOUGHT HE COULD DO BETTER. AND THAT’S SUCH THE HIGH STANDARD THAT HE ALWAYS HELD HIMSELF TO CADE. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT TO ME AND ALL OF US WAS SO IMPRESSIVE ABOUT YOU. THE STANDARD TO WHICH YOU HELD YOURSELF, YOU WERE NEVER SATISFIED, EVEN WITH A PERFORMANCE LIKE THAT ONE. WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM AND WHAT DRIVES YOU TO BE EVEN BETTER? YEAH, I THINK I JUST GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE COACHES AND COACH HAS HELPED ME A LOT, KIND OF MENTALLY AND KIND OF LEARNING HOW THE GAME GOES. AND HE’S KIND OF TAUGHT ME TO HAVE THAT STANDARD AND TRY TO KIND OF LEARN THAT TO THE OTHER GUYS AS WELL, AND JUST REALLY PROUD TO BE HERE. AND THIS IS A LOT MORE NERVE RACKING THAN PITCHING, I PROMISE. BUT THIS IS THIS IS REALLY COOL, MAN. WE’LL TRY TO TAKE IT EASY ON YOU. SO YOU HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY IN YOUR CAREER. YOU MISSED YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SEASON AT SAINT PAUL’S AND COVINGTON. YOU HAD TO UNDERGO TOMMY JOHN SURGERY, WORKED EXTREMELY HARD TO BE HEALTHY, MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT LAST YEAR AS A FRESHMAN, THEN REALLY ELEVATED OBVIOUSLY TO THE TOP PITCHER IN THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR. JUST TALK ABOUT THAT JOURNEY AND THE EFFORT IT TOOK. AND WHAT DROVE YOU TO BE IN THIS POSITION? YEAH, I THINK EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON AND JUST SUPER APPRECIATIVE TO BE IN THIS SPOT. AND I DON’T TAKE ONE DAY FOR GRANTED HERE AND JUST HAVING THE BEING BEING AROUND THE COACHES EVERY DAY HAS REALLY BEEN A TRUE BLESSING. AND I MEAN, I REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO, I WAS I WAS IN THIS BOAT IN THE STANDS WATCHING THIS AND JUST REALLY WANTED TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL LIKE THIS. ALL RIGHT, CADEN, ONE MORE BEFORE WE LET YOU GO. SO ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE WE’VE TALKED ABOUT, CADE ANDERSON LED THE NATION IN STRIKEOUTS THIS SEASON, 180 STRIKEOUTS ON THE YEAR. THAT IS THE THIRD HIGHEST SINGLE SEASON TOTAL IN LSU HISTORY, BEHIND ONLY TWO GUYS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF. NUMBER TWO IS BEN MCDONALD. 202 STRIKEOUTS. NUMBER ONE IS PAUL PAUL SKENES 209 STRIKEOUTS. SO CADE ANDERSON IS IN GREAT COMPANY AMONG THE LSU LEGENDS. SO CADE, JUST YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU TO BE MENTIONED IN THE SAME BREATH WITH ALL THE GREAT PLAYERS AT LSU AS AN LSU, LOUISIANA NATIVE, SOMEONE WHO LOVED THE PROGRAM GROWING UP, WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THAT YOU HAVE? YEAH, MAN, IT MEANS A LOT. I GREW UP PLAYING HERE AND DREAMED ABOUT PLAYING IN THE PURPLE AND GOLD AND KIND OF STANDING WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. SO BIG CREDIT TO ALL THE COACHES. AND JUST TO BE IN THE SAME SPOT AND COMPARE IT TO TWO OF THOSE GUYS. I MEAN, THOSE ARE FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS AND JUST REALLY SPECIAL AND REALLY GRATEFUL. REALLY GRATEFUL. LET’S HEAR IT FOR CADE ANDERSON. AND NOW IT’S MY GREAT PLEASURE TO WELCOME TO THE PODIUM THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AT LSU, MATT LEE. GOOD EVENING Y’ALL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION ON SUNDAY MORNING AT THE TEAM HOTEL, AS THEY WERE PREPARING FOR THE SENDOFF BY THE HUGE CROWD THAT WAS GATHERED IN THE LOBBY, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING THE TEAM AS THEY WERE WALKING THROUGH THE BACK HALLWAY BEFORE THEY GOT TO THE CROWD. I FIST BUMPED NEARLY ALL OF THEM. I WAS GIVING THEM WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. GEAUX TIGERS YOU GOT THIS. GET IT DONE. I TOLD THEM THAT THE ENTIRE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS CHEERING YOU ON TODAY, AND NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THEM FIST BUMPED ME. LOOK ME IN THE EYES AND THEY THOUGHT TO THEMSELVES, WHO THE HECK IS THIS GUY? NOW, YOU KNOW I’M YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN. ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, I FREQUENTLY DESCRIBE LSU AS BEING A BIG HOUSE, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAM AREAS THAT SERVE AS THE FRONT PORCH TO THAT HOUSE. SO THINK OF LSU AS A BIG HOUSE WITH A WRAP AROUND PORCH. THERE’S A SIDE WHERE ATHLETICS IS THE FRONT PORCH, AND THERE WE WELCOME IN ALL OF OUR FANS AND ALL OF OUR ATHLETICS CONSTITUENTS. THERE’S A SIDE WHERE WE HAVE AN ACADEMIC FRONT PORCH, AND THERE WE WELCOME IN MORE THAN 60,000 STUDENTS A YEAR ACROSS THE LSU SYSTEM AND SO FORTH. SO YOU GET THE PICTURE. WHILE THESE PORCHES SERVE AS THE ENTRYWAY FOR ALL OF US INTO THE MAGNIFICENT LSU HOUSE, IT’S WHAT GOES ON INSIDE THE HOUSE THAT REALLY MATTERS. AND INSIDE THAT HOUSE, SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL HAPPENS. IT’S INSIDE THAT HOUSE THAT IN EVERY SPORT, FROM MEN’S BASEBALL TO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, IN EVERY RESEARCH AREA, FROM CYBERSECURITY TO OUR CUTTING EDGE, CUTTING EDGE WORK ON NUTRITION IN EVERY AREA INSIDE THAT HOUSE, WE HAVE A HUGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT WE BUILD TEAMS THAT WIN, AND WE BUILD TEAMS THAT WIN IN LOUISIANA FOR THE WORLD. THIS WINNING TEAM THAT WE HONOR HERE TODAY, OF COURSE, IS COMPOSED OF THESE OUTSTANDING PLAYERS. THESE ARE ELITE ATHLETES, AND IT’S ALSO LED BY THE THE BEST MEN’S BASEBALL COACH IN THE COUNTRY. BUT THE WINNING TEAM IS BIGGER THAN THAT. IT INCLUDES A GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATORS WHO BELIEVE IN LSU. AND THEY INVEST IN LSU. IT INCLUDES DONORS AND SUPPORTERS THAT GIVE THEIR TIME. THEY GIVE THEIR TREASURE. THEY GIVE THEIR EXPERTISE TO HELP US BUILD WINNING TEAMS. IT INCLUDES BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARTICULATE HIGH ASPIRATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND THEY WORK TO GIVE US THE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BUILDING THESE WINNING TEAMS. AND IT INCLUDES FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO KNOW THAT OUR PURPLE REPRESENTS PASSION AND THAT OUR GOLD REPRESENTS EXCELLENCE. AND THEY LOVE PURPLE. THEY LIVE GOLD EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT INCLUDES LEGIONS OF FANS WHO SHOW OUT. AND YOU CHEER THESE PEOPLE ON, WHETHER IT’S RAIN OR SHINE, WHETHER IT’S BLAZING HOT OR WHETHER IT’S FREEZING COLD. YOU’RE THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND WE’RE ALL IN THE HOUSE TOGETHER AND WE’RE BUILDING TEAMS THAT WIN. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY WINNING TEAM THAT WE BUILD BOILS DOWN TO THE FOLLOWING THREE LETTERS, TWO COLORS, ONE HEART. WE ONLY WIN AS A TEAM. AND AT LSU WE ALWAYS PLAY TO WIN WITH EVERYONE’S SUPPORT. THESE GUYS GOT IT DONE. CONGRATULATIONS MEN. YOU ARE TRUE CHAMPIONS. GREAT WORK. LSU PRESIDENT MATT LEE. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ONE MORE PLAYER GUEST TO HEAR FROM. HE ALSO IS THE OWNER NOW OF TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS. FIRST BASEMAN FROM MARIETTA, GEORGIA ALL-AMERICAN JARED JONES. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHY JARED JONES HELPED LEAD THE TIGERS TO THE NATIONAL TITLE IN OMAHA. JARED JONES HERNANDEZ DOWN AT SECOND BASE, BOTTOM OF THE NINTH TIE GAME. THIS ONE HIT IN THE AIR LINE DRIVE. IT’S OFF THE GLOVE OF KOZUL INTO CENTER FIELD. HERE COMES HERNANDEZ. HE IS SAFE. TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN. THEY ARE HEADED TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES HERE IN OMAHA. BYE BYE ARKANSAS. THE TIGERS CELEBRATE IN RIGHT CENTER FIELD. JARED JONES RIPS THE COVER OFF THE BASEBALL. KOZEL COULDN’T HOLD IT. AND ARKANSAS’S SEASON IS OVER. CERTAINLY ONE OF THE ICONIC MOMENTS IN THE HISTORY OF LSU BASEBALL IN THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES. A GREAT CALL THERE BY THE VOICE OF THE TIGERS CHRIS BLAIR AND JARED. NOW THAT WE’VE WATCHED IT, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT IT FIRST. BOTTOM OF THE NINTH INNING. YOU GUYS ARE DOWN BY TWO RUNS, 5 TO 3. LOOKS LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT AGAINST A GREAT ARKANSAS PITCHING STAFF. JUST YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE DUGOUT. YOU GUYS NEVER CEASE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD GET IT DONE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THIS TEAM IS VERY TOUGH IN TOGETHER. AND THAT’S SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT ALL YEAR LONG. AND GOING INTO THE LAST INNING THERE AGAINST ARKANSAS, WE HAD BELIEF THAT WE COULD GET IT DONE AND IT STARTED WITH DEREK CURIEL RUNNING HARD OUT OF THE BOX AND GETTING TO FIRST BASE AND THEN GETTING TO SECOND ON THE AIR, AND THEN ETHAN HAVING A TOUGH AT BAT, WORKING A WALK, LUIS DRIVING IN THE BASEBALL TO DRIVE IN THOSE TWO RUNS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ME JUST DOING MY JOB THERE. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S A TEAM SPORT AND I’M JUST SUPER, SUPER HAPPY TO SHARE THAT MOMENT WITH THIS GROUP OF GUYS. ABSOLUTELY. AND OF COURSE, JARED’S WALK OFF HIT PROPELLED THE TIGERS INTO THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS, WHERE THEY SWEPT COASTAL CAROLINA FOR LSU’S EIGHTH NATIONAL TITLE. JARED, ALSO LIKE KATIE ANDERSON, IS RANKED VERY HIGH IN LSU HISTORY BOOKS. HE NOW HAS 64 CAREER HOME RUNS, NUMBER THREE ALL TIME AT LSU. HE’S ALSO IN SOME PRETTY SPECIAL COMPANY. NUMBER TWO ON THE LIST IS BRAD CRESSEY. NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST HAS HIS NUMBER RETIRED UP HERE? EDDIE FURNESS JARED JONES IS RIGHT THERE WITH HIM. JARED, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE A PART OF LSU HISTORY IN THAT WAY? AND TO BE MENTIONED AMONG LSU LEGENDS? IT’S AWESOME. IT’S REALLY UNBELIEVABLE TO ME. YOU KNOW, TO THINK THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER AT LSU, THAT THIS IS WHERE I WOULD END UP. I’M SUPER GRATEFUL TO THE COACHING STAFF AND TO MY PARENTS FOR HELPING ME GET HERE AND TO MY TEAMMATES. YOU KNOW, I COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT THEM, AND I’M JUST SUPER GRATEFUL FOR IT ALL. YOUR PARENTS, GEORGE AND MICHELLE, ARE THE PARENTS OF FIVE KIDS. JARED IS THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE. HE HAS AN OLDER BROTHER WHOSE NICKNAME IS MOOSE. AS YOU KNOW, HIS NICKNAME IS BEAR, AND SO I’M SURE AS THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE KIDS, NOTHING CAME EASY FOR HIM. BUT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INSPIRATION OF YOUR FAMILY AND HOW THEY HELPED YOU TO GET HERE? THEY’RE EVERYTHING TO ME, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS ARE SITTING UP THERE IN THE STANDS AND I JUST THINK BACK TO ALL THE DAYS THAT THEY WERE DRIVING ME AROUND EAST COBB, GEORGIA, TO TAKE ME TO TRAVEL BALL GAMES. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT WAS TO WATCH MY SIBLINGS PLAY. VERY COMPETITIVE HOUSEHOLD GROWING UP. HAD TO BE FIRST TO THE DINNER TABLE IF I WAS GOING TO EAT THAT NIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO MY BROTHER, YOU KNOW, LIKE PLAYING WITH FOOTBALL, LIKE JOSH SAID IN THE BACKYARD, THOSE ARE MEMORIES THAT I’LL NEVER FORGET. AND, YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST LIKE YOU DREAM OF THESE MOMENTS AND YOU DREAM OF BEING IN THIS SITUATION AND TO SEE IT ALL COME TRUE. I’M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THEM AND I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH. AND FINALLY, JARED JONES IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. LIKE HIS FORMER TEAMMATE DYLAN CREWS OF HOW COLLEGE BASEBALL CAN MAKE SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT UPON A YOUNG MAN’S LIFE AT THE END OF LAST SEASON. AS YOU KNOW, HE HAD AN INCREDIBLE YEAR, 28 HOME RUNS, ONE OF THE BEST SLUGGERS IN THE COUNTRY. HE COULD HAVE ENTERED THE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL DRAFT, BEGAN HIS PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CAREER LAST SUMMER. INSTEAD, HE CHOSE TO RETURN TO LSU TO WIN ANOTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. JARED, JUST FINALLY, YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT WENT INTO THAT DECISION AND HOW GRATIFIED ARE YOU NOW THAT YOU’RE STANDING HERE? YEAH. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SEASON ENDED LAST YEAR, THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT HAD TO BE HAD. COACH JOHNSON CAME TO MY HOUSE AND SAT DOWN WITH ME AND MY FAMILY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EXACT MOMENT AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO COME BACK TO LSU AND THE PIECES THAT WE HAD AROUND ME. AND, YOU KNOW, I’M JUST SUPER GRATEFUL, LIKE I SAID, AND WHEN WE SET OUT A YEAR AGO TO, YOU KNOW, BE IN THIS SITUATION TODAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TOLD ME IT WAS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVED YOU AND WE HAD THE RIGHT PIECES AND THE RIGHT TEAM. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK GO OUR WAY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST A GREAT TEAM ALL YEAR LONG, VERY CONSISTENT LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT. AND I’M JUST SUPER PROUD OF THE GUYS. ALL AMERICAN JARED JONES. IS. AMAZINGLY IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO TO THE DAY. JUNE 25TH, 2021. THAT OUR NEXT SPEAKER WAS NAMED THE HEAD COACH OF THE LSU FIGHTING TIGERS. FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY, WE INTRODUCED YOU HERE IN LAKE BOX STADIUM, SKIP BERTMAN FIELD, OUR NEXT HEAD COACH, AND TOLD YOU HE WOULD BE THE LEADER OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DONE AND HE IS JUST GETTING STARTED. TWO TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION, 2025 NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR. THE HEAD COACH OF THE LSU FIGHTING TIGERS. JAY JOHNSON. YOU, LSU, YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ALL OF YOU? IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT’S. WIN. IF IT’S WEDNESDAY IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, IF IT’S IN BATON ROUGE OR OMAHA OR 1:17 A.M., YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF ENERGY. ONE OF ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, FROM EARLIER IN LIFE IS IN SPORTS, MEDIA. AND HE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME, AS I WAS AN UP AND COMING COACH, THAT COLLEGE BASEBALL IS A CHANNEL CHANGER. AND THE OTHER DAY I SAID, MY MAN, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, BECAUSE THIS IS 1,000% THE BASEBALL SCHOOL IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. AND MY FIRST THANK YOU IS TO YOU GUYS, THE ENERGY THAT YOU BRING TO THESE PLAYERS, THE SUPPORT YOU BRING TO OUR PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT IS 1,000% UNMATCHED. SO JUST A FEW REMARKS THAT ARE ALL GOING TO CENTER AROUND THE SAME THING. AND AND THAT IS BEING THANKFUL. I’M SO THANKFUL THAT MY PATH GOT DIRECTED HERE. I’M THANKFUL TO SCOTT AND OUR ADMINISTRATION FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. I’M THANKFUL TO THE GREAT SUPPORT STAFF WE HAVE AT LSU THAT ALLOWS OUR PROGRAM TO THRIVE. LIKE THIS. I’M THANKFUL THAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AS A YOUNG COACH TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND FROM THE BEST COACHES IN THE HISTORY OF COLLEGE BASEBALL FROM A DISTANCE, AND I’M EVEN MORE THANKFUL FOR THE TIME THAT I’VE HAD HERE TO HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH. IN MY OPINION, THE GREATEST BASEBALL COACH OF ALL TIME. AND THAT’S COACH SKIP BERTMAN. COACH, I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE MORE THING ABOUT COACH, AND WE HAD SOME SPECIAL INSPIRATION FOR THIS SEASON. AND THE NIGHT BEFORE WE OPENED SEC PLAY, WE LOST, YOU KNOW, AN ANGEL FOR LSU BASEBALL AND AND THAT HELPED COACH BUILD THIS INTO WHAT IT IS. AND MISS SANDY, WE’RE THINKING ABOUT YOU TONIGHT AND WE LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I’M VERY THANKFUL. YOU KNOW TO MY LEFT AND TO MY RIGHT HERE FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE GREATEST COACHING STAFF AND COLLEGE BASEBALL. AND IF YOU HAD ANY INSIGHT ON HOW HARD THESE GUYS WORK TO RECRUIT, TO DEVELOP, TO KEEP THESE GUYS FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT THINGS AND THE CONSISTENCY THAT THEY DO THAT DAY IN AND DAY OUT, I KNOW YOU WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY PROUD. AND SO I WANT TO HONOR MY COACHING STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY PUT IN BECAUSE IT’S INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. THIS YEAR YOU KNOW COMING OFF LAST YEAR IN 2024 WE LOST A VERY TOUGH GAME AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA. IN EXTRA INNINGS. WE HAD THE LEAD GOING INTO THE NINTH INNING. GOT TWO STRIKES, ONE OUT, STILL HAD THE LEAD. AND SOMEHOW A REALLY GOOD TEAM FOUND A WAY TO TO BEAT US. AND THAT WAS A REALLY, REALLY TOUGH, TOUGH NIGHT, TOUGH LOSS. AND AS I STARTED THINKING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO HELP YOU SPEND YOUR SUMMER VACATION EXACTLY WHERE YOU WANT TO IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA, WE HAD TO FORMULATE A PLAN FOR THIS TEAM, AND IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO TO TWO THINGS. AND OUR MOTTO FOR THE YEAR WAS TOUGH AND TOGETHER AND EXPLAINING WHAT THAT REALLY, REALLY MEANT. NUMBER ONE, THE TOUGH PART WE WEREN’T GOING TO GET IN A FIGHT UNLESS WE NEEDED TO. WE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT. THAT’S GOOD. BUT THE TOUGHNESS TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON YOUR JOB, NO MATTER WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON, AND I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY COMMENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN ME THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE SEASON, ALL THE WAY UP TO THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW PROUD YOU WERE THAT THIS TEAM WAS AT ITS BEST WHEN IT MATTERED THE MOST, WHEN OTHER TEAMS WOULD LOSE THEIR WAY, WHEN THE GAME WAS ON THE LINE. THESE GUYS CONTINUED TO EXECUTE. AND FOR MY MONEY, THIS IS THE MOST MENTALLY TOUGH TEAM THAT I’VE COACHED IN THE 20, 25 YEARS I’VE BEEN DOING THIS TOUGHNESS RIGHT ON THE STAGE, RIGHT HERE. AND THEN THE TOGETHER PART. AND THIS IS THE PART THAT I’M MOST PROUD OF. WE ONLY HAD 12 PLAYERS THAT PLAYED IN A GAME LAST YEAR FOR THIS TEAM, BUT THOSE WERE THE RIGHT 12 PLAYERS TO RETURN AND I’M SUPER PROUD OF THEM. THEY’RE ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS. THEY’RE GREAT PLAYERS. THEY LEARN FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THEY LED AN EXEMPLARY WAY. THEN WE HAD TEN PLAYERS FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL, TWO JUNIOR COLLEGE PLAYERS AND TEN FRESHMEN, AND WE HAD TO WORK REALLY HARD FOR THAT COLLECTION OF TALENT TO BECOME A TEAM. AND IT CAME DOWN TO ONE SIMPLE PHRASE THAT THESE GUYS COMPLETELY BOUGHT INTO IS I WILL ALWAYS PLACE THE NEEDS OF THE TEAM ABOVE MY OWN, AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, THAT IS INCREDIBLY UNCOMMON. AND THEY DID SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS PLACED THE NEEDS OF THE TEAM ABOVE THEIR OWN. AND WHAT I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR IS THAT COMMITMENT TO TEAM FIRST. THE TOGETHERNESS, THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS. BECAUSE EVEN AT LSU, EVEN RECRUITING THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY, YOU’RE NOT GUARANTEED SUCCESS. BUT I MADE THIS COMMENT SEVERAL TIMES. IF I COULD COACH THIS TEAM, THIS 2025 TEAM, LONG BEFORE THEY WERE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, I WOULD DO IT EVERY YEAR IN MY CAREER. SO FELLAS, STAND UP RIGHT HERE. YOU GUYS STAND UP AND GIVE THE 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS A STANDING OVATION. SO FOR ME, THERE’S TWO REALLY SPECIAL PLACES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. ONE IS THE PLACE WE JUST LEFT ON SUNDAY HOLDING THAT TROPHY. AND THE OTHER ONE IS THIS FIELD. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS STADIUM AND THIS PLACE VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART. AND THERE’S NOWHERE ELSE I’D RATHER BE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COACH JAY JOHNSON. GOT A COUPLE OF VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS TO MAKE TO TWO YOUNG MEN WHO HAVE WON SOME SIGNIFICANT AWARDS THIS YEAR. A BRAND NEW AWARD IN COLLEGE BASEBALL, WHICH WAS BEGUN, IS THE TONY GWYNN COMMUNITY SERVICE TROPHY. IT’S IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR. IT HONORS COLLEGIATE BASEBALL STUDENT ATHLETES WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND REPRESENT THE PROGRAMS WITH INTEGRITY WHILE EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE FIELD. THE TONY GWYNN TROPHY WAS CREATED TO HONOR TONY’S LEGACY AND HIS UNYIELDING COMMITMENT TO HIS COMMUNITY AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLLEGIATE BASEBALL. WELL, THE VERY FIRST WINNER OF THE TONY GWYNN COMMUNITY SERVICE TROPHY IS RIGHT HERE ON THIS 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. CHRIS STANFIELD. THE WINNER OF THE TONY GWYNN TROPHY. JUST WANT TO TELL YOU QUICKLY WHAT CHRIS HAS DONE THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER AT AUBURN AND NOW HERE AT LSU, HIS BE THE ONE CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE MIRACLE LEAGUE OF EAST ALABAMA AND NOW THE MIRACLE LEAGUE HERE IN BATON ROUGE. THAT’S THE FACILITY THAT GIVES CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES A CHANCE TO PLAY BASEBALL AS PART OF A TEAM. IT’S ONE OF THE BEST CHARITIES IN OUR AREA, IN OUR CITY. THANKS TO CHRIS STANFIELD, IT IS THRIVING. WELL, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO CHRIS STANFIELD, THE WINNER OF THE VERY FIRST TONY GWYNN COMMUNITY SERVICE TROPHY. OUR NEXT AWARD WAS GIVEN
2025 NCAA National Champion LSU baseball team to visit White House on Monday
2025 NCAA National Champion LSU baseball team to visit White House on Monday
Updated: 8:57 AM CDT Oct 18, 2025
The 2025 LSU Baseball NCAA National Champions are scheduled to meet President Donald Trump in a White House ceremony on Monday at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT).The ceremony may be viewed live at this link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ The LSU-Shreveport baseball team, the 2025 NAIA National Champions, will also participate in Monday’s ceremony.Monday’s White House visit will mark the third in the history of LSU Baseball. The 1991 National Champions met President George H.W. Bush in a Rose Garden ceremony that also featured MLB legends Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.LSU’s 2009 National Champions were honored at the White House and greeted by Vice President Joe Biden.The 2025 Tigers are scheduled to arrive in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night, and they will tour the U.S. Capitol on Monday prior to the White House ceremony.
BATON ROUGE, La. —
The 2025 LSU Baseball NCAA National Champions are scheduled to meet President Donald Trump in a White House ceremony on Monday at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. CT).
The ceremony may be viewed live at this link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
The LSU-Shreveport baseball team, the 2025 NAIA National Champions, will also participate in Monday’s ceremony.
Monday’s White House visit will mark the third in the history of LSU Baseball. The 1991 National Champions met President George H.W. Bush in a Rose Garden ceremony that also featured MLB legends Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams.
LSU’s 2009 National Champions were honored at the White House and greeted by Vice President Joe Biden.
The 2025 Tigers are scheduled to arrive in Washington, D.C. on Sunday night, and they will tour the U.S. Capitol on Monday prior to the White House ceremony.