Southeastern, baseball coach Matt Riser agree to contract extension

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University head baseball coach Matt Riser has agreed to a contract extension through the 2025 season, SLU Director of Athletics Jay Artigues announced Friday.

The extension is pending approval of the University of Louisiana System’s Board of Supervisors.

“I’m really excited about getting this contract done,” Artigues said. “Matt has done a tremendous job leading our program. Four regionals in the last eight years speaks for itself. He’s not only a tremendous coach, but he’s also a tremendous role model for our student-athletes. I look forward to Coach Riser leading our program for years to come.”

Riser is set to embark on his 10th season at the helm next month, ranking second on the baseball program’s all-time coaching victories list with a career record of 295-199, including a 162-84 mark (.659 winning percentage) in Southland Conference contests.

The native of Picayune, Mississippi is coming off a 2022 season that saw the Lions battle through numerous injuries to defeat No. 1-ranked, and eventual national champion, Ole Miss and No. 3-ranked Arkansas before grinding their way to the Southland Conference Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA postseason.

“I’m extremely grateful to our administration and Dr. Crain,” Riser said. “We’ve put down roots here and love Hammond, America. This program has accomplished a lot of great things over the last decade and we look forward to the next decade here, trying to raise the bar.”

Southeastern’s appearance in the Auburn Regional was the fourth postseason trip for the Lions during the Riser Era, the most for any active head coach in the Southland.

Over the past nine seasons, SLU has generated 18 MLB Draft picks, 13 All-Americans, 52 All-Conference selections and placed 234 baseball student-athletes on the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, the most of any conference institution.

During the course of the extension, the Lions will move into a new team clubhouse and office facility down the left-field line at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field and will be preparing for the addition of a new state-of-the-art sports medicine facility.

“There are some fantastic things we’ve done here with facilities and the commitments we’ve made,” Riser said. “When we first got here, we made this into a premier job and we want to build on that, making it one of the most coveted jobs in the country with what the University and Hammond, America have to offer, the student-athletes we have the opportunity to coach and what the state of Louisiana brings to the table for us from a mentality standpoint. You couldn’t ask for a better place to raise a family.”

TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
Single-game tickets for baseball are now on sale. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to minimize ticket lines on game days. Southeastern students are encouraged to contact the ticket office prior to the game to reserve theirs in advance.

General admission tickets for most games are $9 for adults and $6 for youth (ages 3-12). Southeastern students, with a university ID, and children under age 2 are admitted for free. Gameday parking is $5 per day for standard vehicles and $25 for RVs.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. The ticket booth at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens exactly one hour prior to the scheduled first pitch.

Southeastern uses mobile ticketing as the primary method for distributing tickets purchased online. Tickets will be available via text message or email in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.

DIAMOND CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the baseball program are encouraged to join the Diamond Club. Lion baseball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.

All membership fees and donations to both the Diamond Club and S Club (baseball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern baseball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or by visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @LionUpBaseball or @MattRiser17 on Twitter, @LionUpBaseball on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.