Baseball diamond to be named for Pat Kenelly
Contact: Christina Chapple
2/13/06
HAMMOND -- In a pre-game ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 19, the baseball diamond at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Alumni Field will be named in honor of the late Pat Kenelly, who coached baseball and football and served as athletic director in a Southeastern career that spanned almost three decades.
The 12:40 p.m. ceremony to name the “Coach Pat Kenelly Baseball Diamond” will precede the Southeastern baseball team’s 1 p.m. game against Jacksonville State University. Members of Kenelly’s family, including his wife Ruth; son Ken and daughter Sarah Prevost, will be on hand for the dedication.
Kenelly graduated from Southeastern in 1947 after a stellar career on the Strawberry Stadium gridiron, where he and his Lion football teammates went undefeated and played in the university’s only bowl game. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears, but returned to his native Bogalusa as an assistant high school coach.
In 1948, Kenelly joined the Southeastern athletics staff as assistant coach under Head Football Coach Stan Galloway. In 1965, he became the institution's ninth head football coach, directing the squad until 1971.
While still serving as an assistant on the football team, Kenelly was pegged in 1951 to be head coach of the Lions' diamond nine. During his 14 years as head baseball coach, he guided the Lions to five conference championships and was twice named conference Coach of the Year.
Kenelly’s 230 wins make him one of the most successful coaches in Southeastern baseball history, second only to former coach Greg Marten.
Kenelly also served as athletic director from 1971 to 1976. During his tenure, Southeastern teams won national championships in track and women’s basketball and placed high nationally in golf and baseball.
For additional information, contact the Southeastern Alumni Association at 985-549-2150.
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