Baseball: Whitney Bank donates $100,000 to UL baseball program

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, March 10, 2016

 

The Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF) is on the receiving end of a $100,000 pledge from Whitney Bank, the financial institution announced Thursday.

According to a news release from the bank, the funds are “designated to enhance” the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s baseball program “by offsetting costs associated with facility upgrades.”

A $10 million-plus renovation project is scheduled to get under way in earnest after the 2016 season at UL’s baseball stadium, M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

“Whitney Bank is a longtime supporter of ULL academics and athletics,” Whitney Bank Lafayette market president Bill Hendrix said in a statement, “and we are proud to make a significant donation to the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation to help fund the expansion and upgrade of the (stadium).”

In conjunction with the donation, according to the bank’s release, Whitney’s logo will be “prominently displayed on both dugouts” as part of a four-year, non-exclusive naming rights agreement.

“Coach Robichaux (UL head coach Tony Robichaux) has built a quality program over the years,” Hendrix said, “and we are happy to support and acknowledge his success through this donation.”

UL, which went to the College World Series under Robichaux in 2000, is coming off three straight NCAA Regional appearances and back-to-back Super Regional appearances.

The Cajuns, currently 8-5, lost 5-3 Tuesday night at Tulane and open Sun Belt Conference play with a three-game weekend series at Troy that begins Friday night.

UL’s renovation of The Tigue also has been supported by a previously revealed $5 million donation from booster Chris Russo.

Though not yet formally announced, the Russo family name will be added to the stadium’s name at a later date.

UL has pitched naming rights to other parts of the stadium as part of silent-phase fundraising efforts for the renovation, which is part of a larger athletic facilities masterplan that includes renovation and expansion at Cajun Field, an athletic performance center and soccer/track facility renovations.