Post by Admin on Mar 14, 2018 19:59:50 GMT
McNeese's search for a men’s basketball coach is nearing a close.
After sorting through over 100 applicants, the Cowboys have narrowed down the list to five names, according to sources. Wichita State's Issac Brown, LSU-Alexandria's Larry Cordaro, St. Louis Catholic's Rick LeBato, Northwestern State's Jeff Moore and BYU's Heath Schroyer are the final five left in the coaching search.
The list of names ranges from local coaches, or those with local ties, to national coaches with connections to McNeese Athletic Director Bruce Hemphill.
Salary may be an issue for some coaches like Brown or Schroyer, but with McNeese cleaning house of the entire previous coaching staff, the Cowboys seem as though they are willing to spend more than what they have in the past.
The Cowboys will open the 2018-19 season at their new on-campus arena.
Rick LeBato
LeBato is the only name on this list that isn't a current college coach.
The Sulphur native just wrapped up his sixth season at St. Louis where he took the Saints to the quarterfinal round of the Division II playoffs. LeBato has led St. Louis to a 111-64 record as head coach according to Maxpreps. That includes back-to-back Top 28 appearances in 2015 and 2016.
LeBato also has college coaching experience. He spent four years as an assistant coach under Robert Lee at UL-Lafayette from 2006-2010. He wasn't retained on the staff when Bob Marlin took over the program. The Cajuns were 35-37 during LeBato's tenure. He also spent time at UT-Arlington from 1990-1992.
The UL Lafayette (undergrad) and McNeese (graduate) alum made his name in coaching by leading Northside High School to the 2006 LHSAA Class 4A State Title. It was the first state basketball title ever claimed by a Lafayette Parish public school. LeBato has spent a total of 26 years coaching high school basketball with stops at Grand Lake, Vinton, Sulphur, Northside and St. Louis.
After sorting through over 100 applicants, the Cowboys have narrowed down the list to five names, according to sources. Wichita State's Issac Brown, LSU-Alexandria's Larry Cordaro, St. Louis Catholic's Rick LeBato, Northwestern State's Jeff Moore and BYU's Heath Schroyer are the final five left in the coaching search.
The list of names ranges from local coaches, or those with local ties, to national coaches with connections to McNeese Athletic Director Bruce Hemphill.
Salary may be an issue for some coaches like Brown or Schroyer, but with McNeese cleaning house of the entire previous coaching staff, the Cowboys seem as though they are willing to spend more than what they have in the past.
The Cowboys will open the 2018-19 season at their new on-campus arena.
Rick LeBato
LeBato is the only name on this list that isn't a current college coach.
The Sulphur native just wrapped up his sixth season at St. Louis where he took the Saints to the quarterfinal round of the Division II playoffs. LeBato has led St. Louis to a 111-64 record as head coach according to Maxpreps. That includes back-to-back Top 28 appearances in 2015 and 2016.
LeBato also has college coaching experience. He spent four years as an assistant coach under Robert Lee at UL-Lafayette from 2006-2010. He wasn't retained on the staff when Bob Marlin took over the program. The Cajuns were 35-37 during LeBato's tenure. He also spent time at UT-Arlington from 1990-1992.
The UL Lafayette (undergrad) and McNeese (graduate) alum made his name in coaching by leading Northside High School to the 2006 LHSAA Class 4A State Title. It was the first state basketball title ever claimed by a Lafayette Parish public school. LeBato has spent a total of 26 years coaching high school basketball with stops at Grand Lake, Vinton, Sulphur, Northside and St. Louis.