LAFAYETTE, La. — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is seeking approval for a series of new names at its baseball complex, including honoring legendary Ragin' Cajuns coach Tony Robichaux and major donors Gus and Andrea Rantz.
The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider the proposals Thursday in Baton Rouge.
UL is asking the board to name the baseball stadium complex either "Tony Robichaux Park" or "Robichaux Park." A separate proposal would name the stadium's club area the "Russo Stadium Club."
The university is also seeking approval to name its planned baseball clubhouse the "Rantz Family Baseball Performance Center."
The clubhouse naming would recognize Gus and Andrea Rantz, who donated $2.5 million to the project earlier this year. Louisiana Athletics announced in March that the gift brought fundraising for the clubhouse to more than $5 million toward a $6.5 million goal.
Plans call for the new clubhouse to include space for team operations and renovated coaches' offices, along with dedicated indoor hitting and pitching areas. Louisiana Athletics has described the clubhouse as part of a broader effort to upgrade the baseball facilities.
The proposals could reshape how the Ragin' Cajuns' longtime home is named.
Louisiana currently plays at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park. The facility has been the Ragin' Cajuns' home since 1978. Moore Field was officially named for Marion Lartigue "Tigue" Moore in 1995, while the facility became M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park in 2016.
The board agenda does not indicate that the M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field name would change. Instead, it specifically seeks to name the broader baseball stadium complex for Robichaux while retaining the Russo name for the stadium club.
Robichaux spent 25 seasons as Louisiana's head coach from 1995 until his death in 2019 at age 57. He won 914 games with the Ragin' Cajuns and led the program to 12 NCAA regional appearances, four super regional appearances and its only College World Series appearance in 2000. His teams also won seven Sun Belt Conference regular-season championships and four conference tournament titles.
Robichaux's connection to the ballpark dates to the beginning of his tenure. His first home game as Louisiana's head coach in 1995 was also the game in which the facility officially became known as M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
The UL System Board meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at its offices in Baton Rouge.
