LSU approves $215 million project for new South Quad dorms.
A new coffee spot on West Chimes is being petitioned to leave. Here’s why.
WHAT? LSU HAD A BOWLING ALLEY?
Starting in the 1960s, students went to the Union to bowl strikes and spares. So what happened?
MEMORY LANES
Alumni reminisce on Student Union’s forgotten bowling alley
BY AINSLEY FLOOD
Sports Editor
When the ribbon was cut to officially open LSU’s Student Union in 1964, a new era of campus life was born.
The Union became the goto place to grab a bite to eat, meet with friends and, for many years, go bowling.
For decades, 16 lanes took up a chunk of the building’s ground floor. The alley opened to the public for just pennies a game. To many LSU alumni, it was a community staple.
“It wasn’t anything fancy, but a lot of fun,” 2001 graduate Janay Jones-Clark said.
So, whatever happened to the Union’s bowling alley? Why was it removed?
Past students said a remodel was long overdue. With a dated appearance and vintage technology, the 40-year-old alley was showing its age.
Shirley Plakidas, the Union director from 1967 to 2011, oversaw the bowling alley for most of her tenure, and its dwindling popularity forced her to make a tough decision. In 2007, the Union received an $83.7 million makeover, which saw the bowling alley replaced with the Live Oak Lounge, located today next to the Sonic and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
According to LSU Auxiliary Services, the first proposal for a student union on campus came from the Reveille in 1939. Construction wouldn’t begin until over 20 years later in 1961, when the Board of Supervisors decided to place it in the heart of campus — the Memorial Oak Grove.
Carl Maddox was the building’s first director and oversaw construction until the Union’s grand opening three years later. The building included a game room, later dubbed “Tiger Pause.” Located on the ground floor, the space was originally composed of 16 lanes of bowling, billiards and table tennis.
The bowling alley was at its prime in those early decades, but as time passed, entertainment for college students evolved.
Circa 1990, alumni such as Omar Medrano described it as dated and mostly deserted by students.
“Although LSU rocked in the ’90s, it’s a way better campus these days with all the upgrades,” Medrano said.
Plakidas said in an interview that one common issue with the alley was its upkeep, which proved difficult over the years.
“It took a lot of hard bumps and bruises, so it was very expensive to keep well-maintained,” Plakidas said.
Despite the decline in recreational use, the alley still got plenty of love from elective
classes.
Kinesiology 1130, better known among alumni as “bowling class,” was a physical education course that offered college credits. For many years at LSU, the Union’s bowling alley served as its classroom.
“That was an automatic way of developing new interest in bowling as a leisure sport, and that kept the interest up for a long time,” Plakidas said. “When they stopped offering that as a credit, then the attendance in the bowling lanes really dropped.”
After the UREC opened in 1992, the elective class was dropped from the course offerings somewhere in the late ‘90s or early 2000s.
“It offered so many more recreational opportunities for students who just wanted to stay fit,” Plakidas said. “It really helped the demise of the bowling alley.”
As the 2000s carried on, the bowling alley grew lonelier, and talks of renovation began among members of the Board of Supervisors. In the middle of a technology boom, bowling was not the popular pastime it once was, and it was time for a makeover.
Construction commenced all around the Union in 2006, with a special focus on the ground floor and specifically, the bowl-
ing alley.
Plakidas described the extent of the renovation in a Fall 2011 issue of the LSU Alumni Magazine. The many changes and expansions included the relocation of Free Speech Alley, which used to exist where the breezeway is between the main building and the theater. New meeting spaces and lounges were designed as a part of the new era of LSU’s Union.
One of those lounges would be built on the ground floor, which Plakidas said was “perhaps one of the most unique challenges.” The space was entirely reimagined as the Live Oak Lounge: “an airy, inviting space where students and visitors can relax, eat, watch any of several televisions or visit with friends” while admiring a view of LSU’s oaks from a glass wall looking out into the grove.
The main goal of the space’s transformation was to adapt the Union to the modern world, in which an increasing number of portable devices called for more easily accessible electrical outlets. Plakidas’ goal was to create a technology-friendly area for students to congregate.
“We tried to change with the times and provide not just the services but the utilities that students needed to keep up with their schoolwork,” Plakidas said.
Phase one was completed in the fall of 2009, and the bowling alley was officially gone forever — in theory.
Over 15 years after its removal, could a bowling alley on campus be possible once again? Past and present students are conflicted.
A common suggestion among alumni was to bring bowling to the UREC, where it could serve as another recreational activity for today’s students.
Others think it’s a dead hobby, and for it to be used enough long-term, there would need to be a bowling revival.
So, has bowling truly gone out of style? Some current students think not.
Daniel Brandenburg, a film and television major, was unaware of the existence of the long-gone bowling alley.
“I have thought about adding more entertainment opportunities for the students here, like a movie theater or something,” Brandenburg said. “I think that would be so much fun just to have more activities to do.”
Freshman Julia Simon agreed with her peer, saying it could add value to student life.
“I wish that they would bring it back,” Simon said. “It would be a great way for people from different groups to meet, mingle and make new friends.”
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU AUXILLARY SERVICES
The LSU bowling alley in the 1960s.
NEWS NEW DORMS
LSU housing will expand to South Quad Drive with $215 million project
BY JASON WILLIS Editor in Chief
The LSU Board of Supervisors approved a project that will construct new South Quad dorms, housing over 1,200 more students and costing around $215 million on Friday.
The dorm will be built near the business school in the commuter parking lot on South Quad Drive known as Touchdown Village East Lot.
Construction on the project will start in October, and it’s expected to be open by fall 2027, according to documents provided to the Board.
Enrollment growth on LSU hasn’t slowed, despite widespread student frustration with the lack of parking and housing.
This fall’s freshman enrollment of approximately 8,000 will set another record (the eighth straight year it has done so), Interim President Matt Lee said
JUDICIARY
Friday. In 2024, LSU welcomed 7,912 new freshmen.
“Frankly, it’s a good problem to have, because other institutions around the country and some around the state are faltering,” Lee told the Reveille. “There are some challenges that come with that. I’d be disingenuous if I didn’t say that.”
In the past, freshman growth has caused a housing and parking crunch that has forced the university to place some students in off-campus hotels and apartment complexes, which documents said will likely need to happen again this upcoming fall. The new dorm will alleviate that to some extent.
The building will displace 697 parking spaces, while converting another 515 to on-campus residential parking, according to the proposal submitted to the Board. As a result, about 350 new commuter spots will be added in the Old Front Nine lot down the road.
The new parking will also displace some space for RV tailgating during football game days.
Also part of the project is the construction of a new Park & Geaux Mobility Hub that expands upon LSU’s Park & Geaux project, which allows students to park in the lots near Tiger Park and shuttle to the main campus.
The Mobility Hub will be an air-conditioned building with restrooms and WiFi for students to wait for buses to take them to campus.
RISE: A Real Estate Company will lead construction on the project and will work with several subcontractors. The company also constructed LSU’s most recent housing projects, the Nicholson Apartments, Cedar Hall, Spruce Hall and LSU’s Greenhouse District dorms (Azalea and Camellia).
The Board authorized a total budget of about $215 million to be used toward the project.
Teachers, students react to ruling on Ten Commandments law
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer
Louisiana students, teachers react after federal ruling blocks state’s Ten Commandments law
Sarah Walton
Over a year ago, the Louisiana Senate passed Act 676 requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all of the state’s public classrooms, including universities like LSU.
Immediately after the law was passed, the American Civil Liberties Union partnered with students and parents of all faiths across Louisiana to oppose the law. The group said the explicit religious nature of the Commandments would infringe on the First Amendment rights of students across the state.
On June 20, a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals handed down its decision: The Ten Commandments law is unconstitutional.
The decision has since been paused, and the case may soon be reheard by the full 5th Circuit Court after Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill officially petitioned to have the ruling reviewed Thursday.
“The Fifth Circuit’s panel decision in this case directly rejected the Fifth Circuit’s own precedents and precedents from other circuits and the Supreme Court,” Murrill said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) after filing the petition. “This is exactly the sort of case that warrants full Court
review, and we appreciate the Court’s careful consideration.”
Proponents of the Ten Commandments law believe it’s appropriate given the nation’s Christian founding and history.
“We need order in our classrooms for students to be able to learn! That starts with a fundamental understanding of American history & where our laws come from,” Murrill said last summer in another post on X.
Sophia Barber, recent Baton Rouge High graduate and incoming student at Southeastern Louisiana, spoke to the Reveille last summer about the law when it was passed.
Barber said that when she found out about the new ruling, she was “very glad that a religious set of rules wasn’t forced into a public school environment. Students of all different religious beliefs should be free to follow their own values.”
However, Barber said it was “sad” that it took this long for the ruling.
“The focus of our government has recently been shifting to the wrong aspects of ‘improving’ public education systems,” Barber said.
Elio Harb, a rising senior at Baton Rouge High, is a practicing Catholic, but he’s against the Ten Commandments being put in public schools.
“As someone who has grown up in the faith, I believe that religion and politics really do need to be separated,” Harb said.
However, Harb said that that belief isn’t held among the older generation in his faith, who he said think the Ten Commandments being in the classroom would influence students to behave better.
“The older generation of Catholics, whether it be a culture thing or a religious thing, it seemed like it was a common recurring motif that they all agreed it was a good idea,” Harb said.
Harb said one of the worst things a country could do is regress, and he feels that’s what the country has been doing since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“It’s mostly just disbelief. We’re taught history to not repeat it, but we see ourselves living in the past so much, and it is so disappointing,” Harb said. “Conservatism is trying to regenerate a past that doesn’t exist, that shouldn’t exist as we go forward.”
Harb said that search for the past has come at the cost of LGBTQ+ rights and college students’ freedom of speech.
He also said he believes there’s a collective denial of American history coming from many sides, such as how the Trump administration has deleted some resources and information on Black and queer history on government websites and in records. Harb expressed his disappointment in those who choose to stay uneducated, and those who refuse to learn.
“That’s not what America is,” Harb said.
LSU junior Gabriela Juarez
thinks the ruling was expected.
“I feel positive, but I also feel like, of course the law is unconstitutional,” Juarez said. “That was never up for debate in any meaningful way.”
Juarez believes Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration knew the law was unconstitutional, but it hoped for a conservative judge to side with it.
Though she agreed with Harb’s stance that the country is regressing, she said she’s kept a “revolutionary optimism.” She also emphasized the importance of community support and outreach in this time.
“We consistently see, throughout history, almost impossible events occurring, events that liberate whole countries and groups of people,” Juarez said. “The injustices which exist in the world today contain within themselves the means to destroy them.”
Juarez said that the Ten Commandments law is part of a larger trend of “religious extremism” in the U.S. Texas has also passed a similar Ten Commandments law recently.
“The same religious extremists who want the Ten Commandments forced into every public school are the same ones who want women to be forced to bring to term the children of assault, babies who cannot be cared for or who are dead inside mother’s bodies,” Juarez said. “These are the same people who want to strip women of their rights.”
The belief that this law arose
out of Christian nationalism is a sentiment held by many, including a past Louisiana Teacher of the Year.
Chris Dier was Louisiana’s Teacher of the Year in 2020, and he is currently suing the State of Louisiana because of the Ten Commandments law. His case is separate from the one that recently received a ruling, but the ruling will nonetheless impact his case.
Dier said he was glad the court made the right decision. He said his law firm will be sending the ruling to the judge over his case, and that will provide a precedent. Since there’s a ruling already saying the law is unconstitutional, Dier’s case becomes even stronger.
Looking into the wider context around the Ten Commandments, Dier, who is a history teacher, agreed the law was part of growing Christian nationalism, which he called the sibling to encroaching fascism across the country.
“The United States has become more of a country where political repression is becoming more normalized and wars are becoming much more common,” Dier said. “I see the push to Christian nationalism as a major concern as well.”
Dier made sure to emphasize that laws like these have consequences.
“Our most vulnerable populations, which are students, minorities and all people at the end of the day,” Dier said. “This still has real material impact that should lead to more meaningful conversations.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF LSU
A mock-up of the South Quad Project residential halls.
New coffee shop encroaches on Highland Coffees, supporters say
BY CHLOE RICHMOND
Digital Managing Editor
A petition created on Tuesday is calling for the relocation of Cherrybomb Coffee Co.’s coffee truck due to its proximity to and perceived negative effect on Highland Coffees, according to its creator and supporters.
Timothy Murphy, a master’s student at LSU, started the Change.org petition because he considers Highland Coffees to be a Baton Rouge staple that needs to be preserved. West Chimes Street is an area where businesses have historically struggled, yet Highland Coffees has been around for over 35 years.
“Highland Coffees is the oldest business on West Chimes Street, located in the secondoldest business district in Baton Rouge,” Murphy said. “It serves as a unique space in the neighborhood that has allowed me to meet and connect with people from a wide range of backgrounds.”
Murphy has been going to Highland Coffees since middle school, which is why this is important to him. He said it’s “essential to keep people informed about the history of the neighborhood” and the role Highland Coffees has played in Baton Rouge.
The petition urges Cherrybomb to relocate because of its “unfair competition” and “undue advantage” that “undermines [the] legacy and threatens the economic health of Highland Coffee.”
“The purpose of this petition is to bring attention to the broader situation,” Murphy said. “While I support other
small businesses and coffee shops, I believe it is important for neighborhood businesses to support one another.”
That same belief is held among some Highland Coffees staff. Megan Eisert, an LSU film and television senior, works at Highland Coffees. Eisert said she understands Cherrybomb, from one small coffee shop to another.
On the other hand, Eisert said Highland Coffees has seen an increase in the number of people who visit the shop and use its WiFi while sipping on Cherrybomb drinks, “which is difficult for us to handle as employees who can’t allow that but don’t want to cause a fuss.”
“As someone who works at a small business, I understand that Cherrybomb is also a small business trying [to] stay afloat,” Eisert said. “I really wish for the success of the business – I just wish they weren’t stealing that business from us, another small coffee shop in Baton Rouge.”
The online petition, signed by 397 people as of Sunday afternoon, leaves the decision up to Cherrybomb. Owner Noah McLain said he and his team “acknowledge and respect the legacy of Highland Coffees.” That’s why Cherrybomb decided to rent a concrete slab to set up in an on-the-go way as opposed to leasing a vacant storefront, he said.
“We are focused on serving up excitement from our quick service, walk-up concept,” McLain said. “We believe there is a large enough community here to support two, albeit different, coffee offerings and recognize the strong following for
Highland Coffees.”
McLain also said Cherrybomb has been looking for a Baton Rouge location for almost two years because “the market has been calling us here.” In having two coffee offerings on West Chimes Street, he thinks they’re serving different demographics while also bringing more people to the area.
Jordan Basham, known as the face of @wheretogeaux225 on Instagram, posted an Instagram reel about Cherrybomb’s arrival in Baton Rouge. She was met with mixed comments; some were eager to try it themselves, while others questioned its spot.
Basham saw both sides. The location was questionable to her at first, but said because of the “different crowd, different vibe,” she thinks it works.
“Nobody’s saying you shouldn’t support Highland Coffees – it’s a great spot and a true staple in the community,” Basham wrote in an Instagram comment. “I’m personally there several times a month. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more than one coffee shop. Supporting something new doesn’t take away from what’s already loved.”
Despite the recent backlash, McLain remains committed to “bringing excitement to West Chimes” by serving the community with the Cherrybomb experience.
“We have been overwhelmed by the positive outpouring of Baton Rouge and are bringing more coffee drinkers to the North Gates area,” McLain said. “We respectfully oppose the petition to have us relocate from West Chimes.”
ENTERTAINMENT
REV RANK
Rev Rank: Why ‘Materialists’ is overhated and Lucy chose right
BY AVA FRANCIS Columnist
Rev Rank: ‘Materialists’ is overhated and Lucy made the right choice. Here’s why
This month, Celine Song’s “Materialists” arrived in theaters, fulfilling my wish for romance films to make their way back to the silver screen.
I saw this much anticipated film two weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Song’s cinematic direction was dynamic, the wardrobe was classic and the plot was well executed. It was a refreshing film in a season where most films are a bit too gritty and sometimes disturbing to watch.
However, I seem to be one of the few who actually liked “Materialists.” The film was met with a slew of unfavorable criticism.
In “Materialists,” Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is an ambitious matchmaker who finds herself in a love triangle with a wealthy bachelor Harry (Pedro Pascal) and a broke ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans). The film explores themes of love, finances, societal pressures when it comes to dating and, you guessed it, materialism.
Some viewers thought the trailer falsely advertised the film as a romantic comedy. I personally think “Materialists” is a romantic drama with hints of humor throughout. Anyone familiar with Song’s work knows the element of drama outweighs comedy. “Past Lives,” Song’s Academy Award-nominated film is an example of that.
Filmgoers have taken to social media to share their disappointment in Lucy’s choice between her two
love interests, saying she chose the wrong guy.
Lucy chose John, the struggling actor over the wealthy financier Harry. Because Harry can afford fancy dinners and international trips, audiences are saying they aren’t falling for the “broke boy propaganda” at play.
However, other viewers have taken to the comment sections of these videos saying “the amount of people showing how materialistic they are is wild,” some adding “you guys missed the plot.”
Lucy and John aren’t choosing the relationship we got a glimpse of in a flashback. The relationship we saw with arguments about $25 parking from five years ago isn’t their present day reality. They’ve both grown.
Lucy isn’t slumming it with John and his two man-child roommates in a disgusting apartment this time around.
The pair are aware of the financial anxieties from their past and are ready to build a new life together. John understands that his own financial stability is necessary to rekindle their relationship. Not only does John tell Lucy he’ll take well-paid commercial gigs instead of neverending stage auditions, Lucy was offered a huge promotion with an attractive salary.
Critics of the film have also called Lucy’s decision to turn down her promotion stupid. I don’t think that happened; spelling every little thing out isn’t necessary in movies. Some things are left for interpretation and that’s the beauty of film. We have to
be intelligent audience members and learn to read between the lines.
Choosing John doesn’t mean Lucy’s life is over. She is choosing love and a better quality of life than she had with John at the time of their initial breakup years ago.
Just because Lucy and John are shown eating food from a street vendor in the park doesn’t mean they won’t ever go to upscale restaurants or swanky bars if they so choose.
Getting married at city hall isn’t an indicator that they won’t have amazing getaways. Lucy will most likely get her dream trip to Iceland after all with the man she’s actually in love with. If you know, you know.
I would be lying if I said the montage of lavish dates, romantic gestures and Harry’s persuasive monologue didn’t make me swoon. A handsome man offering you a lifetime of stability, security and penthouse views would make any woman say “sign me up.” But there were four letters missing from that proposal: l-o-v-e. Lucy and Harry admitted to not loving each other. It would have been merely a transactional relationship void of a deeper connection.
As I scrolled through countless “Materialists” reviews it became crystal clear to me that we are currently living in a society where people value status and wealth over everything else. People are fine with love being off the table. I find that concerning.
Despite the sea of commentary bashing the film, I found a few favorable reviews.
Creator Megan Cruz, known as @stoobs on TikTok, offered a review
filled with great thoughts from start to finish.
“What I find so interesting about this film is that it engages with the difficulty of the socioeconomic choices of partnership in a way that feels very earnest,” Cruz said.
At the end of the day, “Materialists” is a film people will either love or hate. It seems to me that viewers are taking this film as an opportunity to analyze their own life decisions while using Lucy as a punching bag. It’s almost as if they’re projecting: “you silly girl, I chose a John and my life sucks now.”
I completely understand that no one wants to struggle through life,
but many are showing their true colors on the internet and revealing themselves as greedy, heartless people.
You can have all the money in the world, but consider who’s holding your hand through difficult times, comforting you when you’re grieving a loved one and celebrating both big and small wins with you.
As I reflect on the film’s harsh reviews, I can’t help thinking about the lack of love and compassion that have been substituted with a heightened lust for materialism in so many relationships today.
Are you choosing a life with or without love?
New theater group takes artistic risks on shoestring budget
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer
Recently, the Baton Rouge theater community welcomed a new arrival. In a time where theater is becoming more expensive and inaccessible for many, the Shoestring Theatre Company is taking a new path.
In May, the company launched on Instagram with its motto, “Anywhere. Everyone. All In,” and announced a focus on people, community and storytelling, not a singular theatrical space.
Founding member Matt Miyagi said that since the closing of Theatre Baton Rouge, he’s noticed an emerging gap of what stories were being told. He noted shows TBR produced like “Rent,” “The Laramie Project” and “The Cake” – lesser known shows that are important but are riskier investments.
The Shoestring Theatre Company’s first event was a June 6 staged reading of “The Temperamentals,” a play written by Jon Marans in 2009 about the founding of the first gay rights organization, the Mattachine Society. The performance was in celebration of
Pride Month and set the stage for the company’s future.
From the examples Miyagi gave and what the company has already done, there’s a theme of highlighting the queer experience, but he says they’re not boxing themselves into that category. They want to produce anything that would normally be seen as not viable.
“Like a two-person cast show,” Miyagi said. “It’s going to be hard-
er for a theater to want to do that if they’re relying on ticket sales alone.”
Miyagi said the goal for the Shoestring Theatre Company is to “give people the space to feel like they’re represented, wanted and able to express themselves freely.”
The focus isn’t commercial viability but the passion of the people creating.
“We don’t have a whole lot of
money to work with, but we’re doing it in a way where they can still get something out of it,” Miyagi said.
The Shoestring Theatre Company isn’t the first Louisiana-based company to not have a set location. Both the Red Magnolia Theatre Company in Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Shakespeare Company in New Orleans function and produce plays outside of a single building.
Miyagi said this adaptation of the theater community in Baton Rouge is a reaction to the growing expense of theater.
“It’s really hard right now with how expensive theater is, how expensive it is to maintain a space, to really have a theater that you own,” Miyagi said. “Putting in the expenses for putting on a fullfledged production, I mean, it’s a lot of pressure.”
Miyagi complimented Red Magnolia on its ability to produce at least one full show a year, and he said that’s what his team is focused on: one full show accompanied by staged readings throughout the year.
So why does the theater com-
munity continue in the face of changing circumstances and financial hardship?
“I think the reason we push is for the people who are into the arts and the people who grew up in them,” Miyagi said. “I mean, you’re passionate about it. You live it, you breathe it.”
For anyone not well-acquainted with theater or hesitant to see a Shoestring Theatre performance, Miyagi has a word.
“Just come see a show,” Miyagi said. “There’s a lot of beauty to art… Especially with what’s going on in the world, right now, I think the arts are incredibly important… The arts were always a way to escape that or touch on it, to talk about things in a way that may not feel so in your face or so personal to you, but getting people to open their eyes to things they may have not realized beforehand.”
The group may not have the funds, but it has the passion and heart to create something truly worthwhile. To learn more, the Shoestring Theatre Company has a website and Instagram for anyone who wishes to donate or get involved.
COURTESY OF SHOESTRING THEATRE
“The Temperamentals” staged reading.
EVAN AGOSTINI / Invision/AP
Dakota Johnson, left, and Chris Evans, right, pose with a Pedro Pascal head cutout at the premiere of “Materialists” at the DGA New York Theater on June 7 in New York.
CELEBR8TION
LSU baseball celebrated its eighth national championship at LSU’s National Championship Celebration on June 25 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
Gov. Jeff Landry speaks to the crowd during the event.
A member of Timothy Wayne’s band performs with him.
LSU’s trophies sit on stage during LSU’s National Championship Celebration. Sophomore pitcher Chase Shores (34) walks onto the stage.
SPORTS GEAUX FOR GOLD
The history of LSU baseball’s championship-winning gold uniforms
BY ROSS ABBOUD Staff Writer
In the 1996 postseason, LSU baseball debuted a brand-new uniform. The team went on to claim a national title that season, birthing the iconic championship golds.
On June 22, LSU claimed its eighth national title with a 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina, and the Tigers wore the gold jersey with white pants.
The first time they wore the new uniforms was in the 1996 postseason when head coach Skip Bertman thought the new attire would boost morale after a disappointing end to the regular season.
After they were introduced, the Tigers won every time they wore the golds, culminating in history.
With two outs and a runner on third base in the 1996 national championship game, LSU was losing 8–7 in the bottom of the 9th inning.
LSU’s Warren Morris came up to the plate and swung at the first pitch he saw. He lined the ball just inches over the right field fence for a game-winning walk-off home run.
Morris’ play is legend for Tiger fans and effectively cemented the championship golds as a uniform option.
From 1997 to 2007, LSU was plagued by the “modern” uniform
epidemic that swept the nation in the early 2000s.
New alternate fonts and black uniforms had many fans disappointed, and they felt that the beloved tradition had vanished.
But in 2008, new head coach Paul Mainieri revamped the uniforms and brought back the championship golds.
Mainieri added them into regular rotation as the team began wearing the jerseys in the third game of three-game series and important tournament games.
Mainieri continued to set a precedent when, in the 2009 College World Series finals, LSU wore the championship golds with a chance to claim a national title in Game 3 against Texas. The Tigers defeated the Longhorns to win the program’s sixth national championship.
After the 2021 season, Mainieri retired, and LSU hired Jay Johnson.
Johnson has continued the tradition, featuring the golds in the third games of series and championship games.
Johnson competed for two national championships within his first four seasons, and he wore the golds when he claimed both titles in 2023 and 2025.
From Morris to Dylan Crews, the championship golds are tradition and serve as reminders of LSU’s dominance in college baseball.
Two walkup songs banned at CWS
STAFF REPORT
A report from WAFB Tuesday said that two LSU baseball players had their walk-up songs banned during the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, which ended with the Tigers standing alone as national champions.
Freshman outfielder Derek Curiel and sophomore pitcher Kade Anderson, presumed to soon be the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft, reportedly had their walkup songs blocked because of the songs’ artist.
Curiel’s song was “God Is,” and Anderson’s was “All of the Lights,” both by rapper Kanye West. West has become increasingly controversial in recent years for his antisemitic views and controversial posts online. Because of that, the NCAA opted not to allow his music as a part of CWS games. It seemed that Curiel initially was unclear on why his walk-up song was blocked and thought it might’ve been due to its Christian nature. In a Instagram comment exchange, a fan asked Curiel, “Is it true that the NCAA would not let you use your walk up song because it was a Christian song!!!” to which Curiel replied, “yes sadly.” NCAA sources have clarified the reason was because of West, according to WAFB’s Jacques Doucet.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill weighed in on the situation online.
“The NCAA made a terrible call no matter how they explain it,” she said in identical posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook. “They owe him an apology... Derek Curiel – we have your back. Just keep it up. You’re a great role model.”
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU baseball junior designated hitter Ethan Frey (16) shows off his jersey during LSU’s 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina in the Men’s College World Series Championship June 22 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
Junior infielder Daniel Dickinson (14) greets fans before LSU’s 5-3 win over Coastal Carolina in the Men’s College World Series Championship June 22.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille LSU baseball freshman outfielder Derek Curiel (6) celebrates as LSU wins 5-3 over Coastal Carolina June 22 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
BASEBALL
Kade Anderson wins award for being nation’s top pitcher
BY ROSS ABBOUD Staff Writer
LSU baseball’s Kade Anderson was named the 2025 College Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America on Thursday.
Anderson is the third ever pitcher from LSU to be named Pitcher of the Year, following Ben McDonald in 1989 and, more recently, Paul Skenes in 2023.
Anderson is a sophomore pitcher from Mandeville, Louisiana, who has started in both of his seasons for the Tigers. As a freshman, Anderson made appearances as the midweek starter and as a reliever on the weekends.
Then, in his sophomore season, Anderson was called to the Friday night starter role, which he embraced, leading to a breakout season.
In the 2025 season, Anderson recorded a 3.18 ERA and a nation-leading 180 strikeouts across 119 innings. In 11 out of his 19 games, he recorded double-digit strikeouts.
When the stage got bigger, Anderson rose to the occasion as he allowed just one run and struck out 17 batters in the 16 innings he pitched during the College World Series.
He was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after securing LSU a win over Coastal Carolina with a complete-game shutout, just the third ever in the CWS finals history.
“His next pitch should be for some place in the Washington Nationals organization,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said after the game. “There’s nobody closer to the major leagues than that right now.”
The Nationals hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, and Johnson thinks Anderson should be the first off the board. MLB Insider and former MLB scout Kiley McDaniel agrees.
In McDaniel’s most recent MLB mock draft, he named Anderson the first overall pick. According to MLB.com, Anderson is the No. 2-ranked prospect in the draft this year.
GYMNASTICS
BY ROSS ABBOUD Staff Writer
LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson was named the 2025 NCAA National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Jay Johnson named NCAA’s Coach of the Year Gymnast to return for fifth year
Johnson just completed his fourth season as Tigers’ head coach and claimed his second national championship in his time at LSU.
Johnson is the fastest coach to claim multiple College World Series championships at a single school.
In 2025, the Tigers recorded a 53-15 overall record and went on to go 10-1 in the NCAA Tournament, including a perfect College World Series run. They claimed LSU’s eighth national championship after sweeping Coastal Carolina.
The 2025 pitching staff finished in the nation’s top 10 in strikeouts per nine innings, hits allowed per nine innings and team ERA. While the offense was top 10 in runs scored, bases on balls, hits and doubles.
“He’s the man,” redshirt sophomore pitcher Chase Shores said. “He just makes our job a lot easier because he says what’s going to happen before the game and we’ve just got to go out there and execute.”
Johnson has developed 32 Major League players during his collegiate coaching career, four of which came from LSU. Some notable names include Bobby Dalbec from Arizona and Paul Skenes from LSU. Johnson’s work on the recruiting trail helped to claim multiple national titles. Johnson welcomed the No. 1 newcomer class, which includes transfers and freshmen, in 2025 as ranked by Baseball America.
BY AINSLEY FLOOD Sports Editor
Alexis Jeffrey announced on Wednesday that she will return to LSU gymnastics in 2026 for her fifth year.
The LSU graduate is using her extra year of eligibility after transferring from UCLA to LSU during her freshman season. She did not compete in a meet that spring, but was a key figure in her next three years, including the 2024 national championship-winning team.
Jeffrey will bring needed experience to a much younger 2026 roster.
This season, LSU had 10 senior gymnasts to lead the team. Next year, Jeffrey will be one of three.
She and LSU gymnastics released a video on social media declaring her decision to stay.
In 2024, Jeffrey was a specialist on bars with a seasonhigh of 9.925, but didn’t compete in the postseason due to a persistent back injury.
The announcement comes less than a month after Jeffrey shared she underwent surgery and is in recovery.
She owns two career titles on the event and owns career highs of 9.925 on beam and 9.750 on floor.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU baseball sophomore left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches during LSU’s 4-1 win over Arkansas during the Men’s College World Series June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson speaks with the media during a press conference for the Men’s College World Series June 12 at Charles Schwab Field on Mike Fahey Street in Omaha, Neb.
PETER NGUYEN / The Reveille
LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson talks about the team uniforms during a press conference on Jan. 28, 2022, in Alex Box Stadium on Gourrier Avenue in Baton Rouge.
BASEBALL