RAGIN CAJUNS COACHES, FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE SEVEN-CITY BUS TOUR
News Release Contact: Christine Payton
#409 (337) 482-6477
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2010
RAGIN CAJUNS COACHES, FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE SEVEN-CITY BUS TOUR
First stop in Crowley on March 31
LAFAYETTE – Ragin’ Cajuns coaches and administrators will join UL Lafayette President Joseph Savoie as they hit the road for a seven-city bus tour throughout south Louisiana and Houston this spring. Fans will join community leaders for an intimate social with the coaches and staff to hear of the progress and future goals of Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics.
“We’ve seen a great deal of progress the last few years and we’ve got several projects in the works within the Athletic Department that will surely excite our fans. We want them to be among the first to see the future,” said Scott Farmer, Senior Associate Athletic Director.
Crowley is the first top of the tour. The event will take place at the Crowley City Hall from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 31. Other cities on the tour include New Iberia on April 22, Houston on April 24 and Abbeville on May 5. Stops in Baton Rouge and New Orleans are being scheduled. The tour will conclude in Lafayette.
“Sometimes it’s hard for our alumni to make a trip to campus. That’s why we’ve decided to take a trip to their hometowns to see them,” said Ken Ardoin, vice president for University Advancement at UL Lafayette.
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ADD ONE – BUS TOUR
At each stop, visitors will hear from coaches and UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie. A presentation highlighting the upcoming improvements to athletic facilities will also be shown and information on joining the Ragin’ Cajun Athletic Foundation will be presented.
Facility improvements include an impressive renovation of softball’s Lamson Park, which includes doubling the seating capacity, an exclusive club suite and on-site team offices and meeting rooms. Up next is a new Field House with new locker rooms, team offices and concession facility at the Ragin’ Cajuns soccer and track complex. Preliminary renderings of remodeled Cajun Field will be unveiled as well. Projects already completed include new artificial turf has already been installed at Tigue Moore Field for baseball.
The RCAF was created to provide financial support for the university’s 16 intercollegiate athletic teams and its student-athletes. Last year’s inaugural Annual Fund Drive resulted in over $500,000 in donations. Donations to the RCAF help fund:
• scholarships for student-athletes who may otherwise not have an opportunity to gain a degree;
• fifth-year aid for student-athletes to ensure the opportunity to get their degree;
• resources for student-athletes such as books, housing, meals, tutoring and educational programs;
• facility improvements that impact recruiting and student-athlete performance;
• supplemental operating capital for Ragin’ Cajuns athletics; and
• funds to endow coaches salaries to assist the Athletics Department in attracting the best and most-qualified coaches.
Contributions to the RCAF to assist the student-athletes can be made in a number of ways including cash, credit card, payroll deductions, matching gifts, gifts in kind, endowments and planned gifts.
For more information on giving to the RCAF, call (337) 482-5393.
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About UL Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is the second largest university in the state, with over 16,000 students. It’s a public institution that awards bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It includes diverse offerings from the humanities to scientific research and leads the nation in areas like computer science, biology and nursing. Its student-athletes – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns – compete in NCAA Division I, the highest level of collegiate competition.
