Communications Michael Bonnette
Senior Associate AD Communications Director Michael Bonnette enters his 16th year as LSU’s Communications Director and third as Senior Associate Athletic Director after being promoted to his current position in the fall of 2013. Bonnette held the title of Associate Athletic Director from April of 2007. Bonnette was originally elevated to Sports Information Director in August of 2000 and then promoted to Assistant Athletic Director in July of 2004. As Communications Director, Bonnette serves as the chief contact for LSU’s nationally-ranked football team as well as overseeing all publicity activities for the 21 sports sponsored by the Athletic Department. The 45-year-old Bonnette, who served as an Associate Sports Information Director for seven years, is in his 22nd year with the LSU Athletic Department. His 2012 LSU Football media guide was named “Best in the Nation” by CoSIDA, one of several awards he has received from the organization and in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association annual writing contests. His 2014 guide was ranked second in the nation. The Lake Charles, La., native has been around the sports media relations profession his entire life as he is the son of retired McNeese State Sports Information Director Louis Bonnette, a member of the CoSIDA Hall of Fame. The field at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles bears the name Louis Bonnette Field. His brother, Matthew, continued the family tradition at McNeese by being named Sports Information Director in July 2012, following his Dad in the position. Bonnette, who is a 1993 graduate of LSU, is past president of SIDs for the Southeastern Conference and is currently the vice-president for SIDs for the LSWA. He is married to the former Robin Arnaud of Opelousas, La., and the couple has three sons, Peyton (17), Grant (16) and Max (10).
Bill Franques
Senior Associate Communications Director Bill Franques works as the LSU baseball program’s media relations director, and he serves as managing editor of LSU’s football, men’s basketball and baseball game programs. His 2012 LSU football game program was voted best in the nation by College Sports Information Directors of America. The LSU baseball media guide, written and edited by Franques, has four times been named best in the nation by CoSIDA. His baseball brochures have finished among the top six in the country in 16 of the past 22 seasons, including his 2012 and 2013 guides, which were voted No. 1 by CoSIDA. His 2015 guide was best in the state by the La. Sports Writers Association. Franques is the Alex Box Stadium public address announcer and the color analyst on LSU Sports Radio Network broadcasts of baseball road games. In addition, he is the producer and co-host of LSU Tiger Tracks, a weekly television program featuring LSU sports personalities. Franques also worked from 1997-2000 as the LSU baseball administrative assistant. His duties included coordinating team travel, organizing fundraising events and booster club meetings, and overseeing office operations. Franques received a Bachelor of Arts degree from LSU in 1985. The Lafayette, La., native is married to the former Yvette Lemoine of Bunkie, La., and they have three children -- William Paul Jr. (15), Benjamin Lewis (13) and Madeline Lemoine (11).
Kent Lowe
Senior Associate Communications Director A member of the LSU Sports Information staff since August 1988 and beginning his 28th athletic year at LSU, Kent Lowe was appointed senior associate SID in August 2000. He serves as the primary media contact for the LSU men’s basketball team and women’s golf team. He has also for the past 22 years written an award-winning bowling column for The (Baton Rouge) Advocate. Lowe, 57, came to LSU from Louisiana Downs where he served as publicity director for the Bossier City, La., racetrack. Lowe is a member of CoSIDA, which voted his 2010 men’s basketball media guide “Best in the Nation” ,his 2012 men’s basketball guide third in the nation and 2015 men’s guide second. He is a member of CoSIDA’s prestigious Academic All-American committee as well. Lowe is also a past president and current treasurer of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The Shreveport native is heavily involved with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and for the past 13 years has produced the regionally-televised induction ceremonies. Lowe is a 1979 graduate from LSU-Shreveport. He earned his masters’ degree at LSU in 1982.
Will Stafford
Associate Communications Director Will Stafford enters his eighth year as a member of the LSU Communications staff as he serves as associate director in charge of the national champion men’s and women’s track and field programs, as well as the men’s golf and women’s soccer programs. Stafford is a native of Franklinton, La., and a 2006 graduate of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. Prior to receiving a full-time position at LSU, Stafford served as a graduate assistant with the sports information staff for two years while completing a master’s degree in sport management in the summer of 2008. In addition, he served as a student assistant at LSU for four years from 2003-06. Stafford’s media guides have been judged in the top five in the country on nine occasions by the College Sports Information Directors of America. This includes the fifthranked men’s track and field guide in 2007; the third-ranked men’s golf, fourth-ranked women’s soccer and fourth-ranked women’s track and field guides in 2008; the second-ranked men’s golf and third-ranked women’s track and field guides in 2009; the second-ranked track and field guide in 2011; and the second-ranked men’s golf and third-ranked track and field guide in 2012. In addition, four of Stafford’s media guides have received the “Best Cover” honor as the nation’s top design, including track and field in 2007, 2009 and 2011, and men’s golf in 2009. In June 2014, Stafford was announced as the recipient of the inaugural Excellence in Communications Award presented annually by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The USTFCCCA announced his selection leading up to the 2014 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. He and his wife of five years, the former Claire Adams of Baton Rouge, were married on July 24, 2010, in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, and have one son, Liam Stafford (2).
Chris Parent
Photography Assistant
Hannah Brinks
Graphic Design Coordinator Hannah Boutwell is in her fourth year as a graphic design coordinator for the LSU Athletics Publications Office. Her responsibilities include the design and production of print and digital communications for the athletic department. Prior to coming to LSU, Brinks, 26, was a graphic designer with Crimson Tide Productions at the University of Alabama, where she designed in both print and digital formats for Gymnastics, Women’s Golf, Softball, and Women’s Basketball. She earned her BFA cum laude in Digital Media/Graphic Design from The University of Alabama, and was a record setting member of the Crimson Tide Swimming and Diving team, competing at SEC Championships, NCAA’s, US Open, US Nationals, World Championship Trials and Olympic Trials. The former Hannah Brinks, married Luke Boutwell this past June.
Jake Terry
Associate Communications Director Jake Terry begins his sixth year as Associate SID where he handles all publicity for the LSU gymnastics team and functions as the No. 2 contact for the football team. Terry earned his master’s degree in sport management at LSU in 2010 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication in 2008. Prior to receiving a full-time position, Terry served as a graduate assistant for two years at LSU when he handled responsibilities for gymnastics and assisted with football. During his time as a student, he worked as an SID for women’s tennis and also served briefly as interim SID for softball, volleyball and women’s basketball. Terry, 29, is a Baton Rouge native and is married to the former Allison Stuckey.
LSU
Pam LeBlanc
Administrative Assistant
Students Sports Communications – Brandon Berrio, Taylor Brown, Alissa Cavaretta, Sara Ducote, Ellen Farmer, Fraser McAlpine, Ali Hebert Publications – Mallory Bourgeois, Elizabeth McCulla, Tristan Francis
Clyde Verdin
Associate Communications Director Clyde Verdin is in his second season as an associate director at LSU, serving as the primary contact for softball and volleyball, while also acting as the department’s liaison to the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes and the department’s community service efforts. Prior to joining the staff, Verdin, 31, worked for over two years as the director of media relations at his Alma Mater of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where he oversaw the media relations efforts for all 13 of the university’s Division I sports. After receiving his bachelor of arts in broadcast journalism from Nicholls in 2008, Verdin went on to complete internships at the University of Missouri and with the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. A native of Morgan City, Louisiana, Verdin is married to the former Stephanie Detillier of Raceland, Louisiana.
Steve Franz
Staff Photographer Steve Franz, LSU’s staff photographer, joined the LSU athletics department in July of 1998 after being around the Tiger sports scene for years. Prior to joining LSU athletics, the New Orleans native served as photographer for the independent Tiger Rag magazine for five years. Franz was also a photographer for United Press International covering some of the area’s major political events, Presidential visits, the New Orleans Saints and the NCAA men’s and women’s Final Fours in New Orleans. Franz, 44, has had his pictures published in several national magazines, including Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. He is a 1993 graduate of LSU.
2016 BASEBALL OFFICIAL YEARBOOK
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