FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
LAFAYETTE – Lance Harvell has been hired as the new volunteer assistant coach for Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, head coach Tony Robichaux announced Wednesday.
Harvell spent the last three years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texarkana College.
“We are very glad to have Lance join our program,” Robichaux said. “He brings an enormous amount of experience having coached both at the junior college and Division I level.
“Lance will help coach our catchers, assist with pitchers and pitchers conditioning,” Robichaux added. “He will also assist in the coaching of our hitters, showcase campus and on-campus visits.”
In his time at Texarkana College, the Bulldogs were tops in offensive production leading the Texas Eastern Athletic Conference (National Junior College Association Region XIV) in several categories. Under Harvell’s tutelage Texarkana finished no lower than second in team hitting categories and over 25 position players moved on to play Division I baseball.
In 2011 and 2012 Texarkana topped the Texas Eastern Athletic Conference in average, hits, runs scored, stolen bases, doubles and triples. Over this three-year tenure (2010-12), the Bulldogs’ hitters claimed numerous postseason honors including the 2011 and 2012 conference player of the year and the 2011 freshman of the year.
“I’m very excited to be a Ragin’ Cajun and be a part of this program and staff,” Harvell said. “Coach Robichaux, the administration, and the people I’ve had a chance to meet here in Lafayette have bent over backwards to make my wife Courtney and I feel welcome.
“In terms of our baseball team, I feel like we have a tremendous opportunity with the players and coaches that we have, to build on the tradition of winning and win some championships of our own. That’s what excites me and that’s what brought me to UL.“
Before joining the staff at Texarkana, Harvell served as a graduate assistant for his alma mater, Texas A&M during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. It was there he worked alongside current Cajuns assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Matt Deggs.
Harvell worked as Texas A&M’s pitching assistant in 2008, helping the Aggies to a Big 12 regular season title, NCAA Regional championship and NCAA Super Regional berth. His work primarily came out of the bullpen, serving as bullpen coach during games and assisting head coach Rob Childress in bullpen sessions.
During the 2009 season he served as the team’s head strength and conditioning coach developing a personalized strength and conditioning program for 35 student-athletes which included a dynamic and baseball specific speed, agility, plyometric and conditioning regiment.
The College Station, Texas, native began his career in intercollegiate athletics in winter 2006 working in the athletics marketing department at the University of Houston.
During his days as a student-athlete, Harvell was an all-conference and all-region catcher at Richland Community College in Dallas. In 2003 and 2004 he led the ThunderDucks to back-to-back NJCAA National Championships. He then moved on to Texas A&M where he walked on as a catcher for the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Harvell received his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Texas A&M in August 2006. He received his master’s degree in the same field in May 2009.
He and his wife, Courtney, are both natives of College Station, Texas.
