Mike Trahan joins the Ragin' Cajuns baseball coaching staff this season. Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns head baseball coach Tony Robichaux announced Wednesday the hiring of Mike Trahan as an assistant coach. His hiring is pending approval by the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors.
He replaces John Szefc, who took a similar position at Kansas.
Trahan spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at ULM. His time with the Warhawks hitters and infielders produced immediate results.
In his first year, the Warhawks set the school home run record with 70, passing the previous mark of 62 set in 1986. ULM finished the season ranked 14th in the NCAA in home runs per game at 1.23, 28th in the nation with a slugging percentage of .477, and finished third in the Sun Belt Conference with 120 doubles and 16 triples.
Trahan joined the ULM staff after spending four seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, McNeese State. While with the Cowboys, Trahan helped guide the club to a pair of Southland Conference championships in 2003 and 2006, as well as a 2003 appearance in the NCAA Regional at Rice. He also had several recruiting classes recognized by Baseball America.
McNeese State had two freshmen All-Americans during Trahan’s tenure: Taylor Faul and Bryan Cartie. Trahan also coached Dooley Prince, the Southland Conference’s 2003 Freshman of the Year.
Trahan coached seven McNeese players selected in the Major League Baseball draft, including 2005 first round pick Jacob Marceaux (29th overall, Florida Marlins). In 2003, McNeese shortstop Lance Dawkins was selected in the 20th round by the Chicago Cubs.
He began his coaching career with two seasons at LaGrange High School in Lake Charles, La., after four years in professional baseball, from 1997 to 2001. As an infielder in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, he had stops with the Fargo-Morehead Redhawks, Charleston Riverdogs and Winnipeg Goldeyes. In 1997, he was named to the Northern League All-Star team.
Trahan had a standout career as an infielder at McNeese. He made the All-Southland Conference team as a second-baseman in 1996 and 1997, and earned first team All-Louisiana honors in 1996 along with Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year recognition. He began his playing career at Panola Junior College where he put together back-to-back All-Conference seasons.
Trahan earned his bachelor of arts degree in liberal studies from McNeese State in 2002. He is married to the former Clare LeBlanc.
