It is Official: Riser in at SLU

Southeastern Louisiana University announced  following a national search it has 

named Matt Riser as the Lions' 16th head baseball coach. The decision was announced 

by athletic director Jay Artiques, the Lions' former head baseball coach, who named 

Riser as the interim head coach back in June when he moved into school 

administration. The 30-year-old Riser is one of the youngest at the NCAA Division I 

level. Riser said, " It's a dream come true, especially being this close to home. 

The ultimate goal is to have your own program, but it's so much more than an 

individual accomplishment," said Riser. Riser joined the Lions' staff in 2008 as 

a volunteer assistant coach under Artigues. Artigues said,  "I'm really excited to

 see Matt take over at the helm of the baseball program. It's something special to 

my heart, spending eight years to take the program to the level it's at now. It was 

important to hire someone who could not only take the baton and keep it at that 

level, but take it to the next level. Eight years ago, our program was at the 

bottom of the Southland Conference, and now we're knocking on the door every 

year," said Artigues. Riser, from Picayune, resides in Hammond with his wife 

Jeanette. He earned his bachelor's degree in biochemical engineering from 

Tulane University in 2007. As a junior he played a vital role in helping the 

Green Wave reach the 2005 College World Series. As a senior, Riser homered 

three times, drove in 37 runs and ripped 16 doubles. Riser played for Artigues 

at Pearl River Community College, where he earned All-Region XXII honors and 

region XXII Defwensive player of the Year as a sophomore. He hit .376 as a sophomore 

and .347 as a freshman. He compiled 110 hits, 30 doubles and 109 runs scored in 

his two-year junior college career. 

Southeastern University Lions hosting Sam Houston State in second round at Strawberry Stadium

On the collegiate football playoff  scene, the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions, the Southland Conference champions, will host their first ever NCAA Division I playoff game tomorrow night at Strawberry Stadium. The 10-2 Lions are hosting Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State in a 7 o'clock kickoff as fans are ready to 'Lion Up' for the hometown team in Hammond. SLU hosted a fan appreciation tailgate and pep rally Wednesday on campus as a way to say thank you to their loyal fans and to recognize the  Lions' players for their successful endeavors to this point. The Lions, the No. 4 national seed, which drew a first-round bye, defeated Sam Houston State 34-21 back on Nov. 16 in Hammond and the team is hoping to duplicate that tomorrow night on their home field. The Bearkats outlasted Southern Utah 51-20 last Saturday to advance to tomorrow's second round game.   

SLU hosting first ever NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff game

Southeastern Louisiana University Lions' junior quarterback Bryan Bennett. Photo by Randy Bergeron.

Southeastern Louisiana University's Lions, 10-2, the Southland Conference champions, the No. 4
national seed host their first ever NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff contest in school history this Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium. The Lions, who earned a first-round bye, host Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State, which advanced by virtue of their 51-20 victory over Southern Utah in the first round. Sam Houston State enters Strawberry Stadium with a 9-4 mark for a 7 o'clock kick off Saturday. Southeastern had the Bearkats' number in their regular season conference meeting taking a 34-21 victory in Hammond. The Lions coaching staff led by second-year head coach Ron Roberts hopes the SLU offense can continue to put points on the board spearheaded by junior signal caller Bryan Bennett, who has passed for 2,610 yards with 18 touchdowns. Bennett also leads the Lion's ground game with 934 yards and a school record 14 rushing TDs.  

Southeastern Louisiana University Lions roar past Nicholls State to win outright Southland Conference title

 

 

                                       SLU junior Justin Church, a Fontainebleau High grad.

Lions' sophomore defensive back Josh Dakin, a Northshore High Panther graduate.

Lions' junior linebacker Drew Misita, from Amite.

Lions' junior quarterback Bryan Bennett, a transfer student  from Oregon.

Lions' senior kicker Seth Sebastian, a Lafayette High School grad.

Southeastern Louisiana University roared to a historical 52-27 victory last night over Nicholls State in the River Bell Classic at Strawberry Stadium giving the Lions the outright Southland Conference title.
The Lions, winners of nine straight, finish the regular season at 10-2 under second-year coach Ron Roberts.
Southeastern entered last night's game ranked No. 8 and 10 in the polls and now wait to see what their seeding is and who they will square off with. The playoff seeding will be announced Sunday morning.
QB Bryan Bennett rushed for 120 yards with a one-yard TD and tossed two touchdown passes
finishing with 273 yards, completing 16-of-25 passes. Bennett has rushed for 934 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry, with a team-high 14 touchdowns.
Lions' outstanding senior place kicker Seth Sebastian remained perfect on the season, booting field goals of 37, 27 and 46 yards, making him 14 for 14. Sebastian has also converted 61 extra points with just one miss on a blocked attempt and he leads the Lions with 103 points followed by Bennett with 84.
Defensively, the Lions' leading tackler Drew Misita, who has 72 tackles, posted eight stops including five solos with two plays for losses.
Fontainebleau High grad, junior Justin Church, who has played in all 12 games, recovered a fumble and contributed two assists with one stop resulting in a loss. Northshore High grad, sophomore defensive back, Josh Dakin, intercepted a pass and also broke up a pass for the Lions. Dakin has registered 25 tackles playing in all 12 games.

SLU rolls past Lamar in Homecoming victory

Southeastern Louisiana University started off slow Saturday, falling behind 14-0, but the Lions roared back, earning a 56-34 Homecoming Southland Conference victory over the Lamar Cardinals at Strawberry Stadium.
Southeastern, 6-2, remained unbeaten in Southland Conference play at 3-0, tied with the McNeese State Cowboys, who they face this weekend on the road. McNeese State is 7-1 and 4-0 at home. The Cowboys rolled putting up big numbers in a 55-30 win over Nicholls State.
Dylan Long, a St. Paul's graduate, who specializes in short yardage situations in the red zone, rushed for two touchdowns on runs of 2 and 4 yards. He carried the ball four times, gaining eight yards coming through in those key short-yardage situations for the Cowboys. 
Southeastern scored 42 unanswered points Saturday, securing their fifth consecutive victory, matching the program's longest streak since 1983.
SLU junior quarterback Bryan Bennett passed for 237 yards with two touchdowns, hitting Jeff Smiley and Marquis Fruge. Bennett, the Lions' dual threat, continued his rushing prowess, leading the attack with 95 yards on 11 carries.
The Lions rushed for 310 yards with sophomores Xavier Roberson and Rasheed Harrell rushing for
two TDs, while Kody Sutton and Darius Guy scored once each.