Artigues named Director of Athletics at Southeastern
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Following a national search, Southeastern Louisiana University has named Jay Artigues as Director of Athletics, university officials announced Monday (Oct. 14). The appointment is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System.
Artigues joined the Southeastern athletics staff in 2005, serving eight seasons as the university's 15th head baseball coach, compiling a 276-188 win-loss record, and earning the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Co-Coach of the Year Award in 2010.
Artigues has served as athletics director on an interim basis since Bart Bellairs left the university in June.
"Jay Artigues has demonstrated great leadership abilities, strong administrative skills, and tremendous dedication to Southeastern athletics," said Southeastern President John L. Crain at the announcement press conference. "His work performance has been exemplary, and he is well respected by student-athletes, coaches, university faculty and staff and members of the community."
"This is the highest honor of my career and it is truly humbling," said Artigues. "I am inheriting an excellent situation: an administration focused on excellence in all areas, dedicated coaches, staff and student-athletes, and a growing fan base committed to the future of Lion athletics."
During his tenure at the helm of the Southeastern baseball program, the Lions excelled on and off the field. In addition to leading the Lions to consecutive Southland Conference Tournament championship games, Artigues has overseen a program that has consistently posted team grade point averages over 3.0.
Artigues' student-athletes also were able to succeed on the professional level, as nine Lions were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft during his tenure. Included in that group is 2009 first round pick Wade Miley of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who was a National League All-Star and selected as the Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year in 2012.
As a player, Artigues spent two seasons at Pearl River Community College where he was an All-State and All-Region selection. He then went on to play two seasons at Belhaven College where he was an All-Conference selection as a second baseman. He holds the highest single-season on-base percentage (.538) and sixth-highest career batting average (.375) in Belhaven history.
A graduate of Belhaven in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, he earned a master's degree in sport coaching from the United States Sports Academy in 1993.
Artigues and his wife Rachel reside in Hammond and are the parents of two sons, Christopher "Champ" (14) and Casey (11).
