Yvette Girouard

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Yvette Girouard
Biographical details
Born1954 (age 69–70)
Broussard, Louisiana
Playing career
Volleyball
1972–1975Southwestern Louisiana
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Softball
1977–1979Lafayette HS
1980Comeaux HS
1981–2000Southwestern Louisiana/Louisiana–Lafayette
2001–2011LSU
Head coaching record
Overall1,285–421–1 (.753)
Tournaments51–43 (NCAA)
0–2 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • 2× NFCA Coach of the Year (1990, 1993)
  • NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year (2001)
  • NFCA Hall of Fame (2005)
  • 3× Southland Coach of the Year (1984, 1985, 1987)
  • Sun Belt Coach of the Year (2000)
  • SEC Coach of the Year (2001, 2002, 2006)

Yvette Marie Girouard (born 1954) is an American retired softball coach who was head coach at Southwestern Louisiana (later Louisiana) from 1981 to 2000 and LSU from 2001 to 2011.

On March 15, 2019, at the Louisiana softball game vs. the Troy Trojans, Lamson Park was rededicated to Yvette Girouard. The park is now known as “Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.”

Early life and education[edit]

Born in Broussard, Louisiana, Girouard grew up in nearby Lafayette and graduated from Ovey Comeaux High School in 1972.[1] She attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette). A member of the volleyball team from 1972 to 1975, Girouard graduated in 1976 with a B.S. in health and physical education.[2][3]

Coaching career[edit]

Girouard began the softball program at Lafayette High School in 1977. After three seasons at Lafayette High, Girouard was head coach at her alma mater Comeaux High in 1980 before starting the softball program at Southwestern Louisiana in 1981.[3]

As head coach at Southwestern Louisiana Girouard had an overall 759–250 record from 1981 to 2000.[4][3] Her teams advanced to 10 NCAA Tournaments, including three Women's College World Series, finishing third in 1993 and fifth in 1995 and 1996.[3]

Girouard left the Ragin Cajuns in 2001 to take the reins of the LSU program. She finished her career at LSU with a 526-171-1 record. She led LSU to two Women's College World Series (third-place finishes in 2001 and 2004), three SEC championships (2001, 2002, and 2004), four SEC tournament championships (2001, 2002, 2004, and 2007), and two SEC tournament runner-up finishes (2003 and 2006). Her LSU teams played in seven NCAA tournaments.

Girouard is one of only three coaches to take two teams to the Women's College World Series. She was the National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1993; the Southland Conference Coach of the Year in 1984, 1985, and 1987; the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2000; and the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year in 2001, 2002, and 2006. She is also a 13-time winner of Louisiana Coach of the Year. Between her stints at Louisiana-Lafayette and LSU, her career record is 1,285-421-1.

Girouard was succeeded by former Louisiana head coach Michael Lotief and current LSU head coach Beth Torina.

Girouard was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December 2005 and the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in June 2002.

Head coaching record[edit]

Source for Southwestern Louisiana/Louisiana–Lafayette:[5]

Source for LSU:[6]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Southwestern Louisiana Lady Cajuns (Louisiana AIAW) (1981–1982)
1981 Southwestern Louisiana 7–15
1982 Southwestern Louisiana 15–13 LAIAW Champions
Southwestern Louisiana Lady Cajuns (Southland Conference) (1983–1987)
1983 Southwestern Louisiana 22–13 6–2 1st (South)
1984 Southwestern Louisiana 28–9 6–2 1st (South)
1985 Southwestern Louisiana 39–13 12–0 1st
1986 Southwestern Louisiana 30–19 10–2 T–1st
1987 Southwestern Louisiana 31–18 10–2 1st NIT
Southwestern Louisiana Lady Cajuns (NCAA Division I independent) (1988–1999)
1988 Southwestern Louisiana 29–16
1989 Southwestern Louisiana 48–16
1990 Southwestern Louisiana 44–8 NCAA Regional
1991 Southwestern Louisiana 33–10 NCAA Regional
1992 Southwestern Louisiana 41–12 NCAA Regional
1993 Southwestern Louisiana 57–7 Women's College World Series
1994 Southwestern Louisiana 57–5 NCAA Regional
1995 Southwestern Louisiana 49–9 Women's College World Series
1996 Southwestern Louisiana 46–10 Women's College World Series
1997 Southwestern Louisiana 46–18 NCAA Regional
1998 Southwestern Louisiana 36–15
1999 Southwestern Louisiana 54–11 NCAA Regional
Louisiana–Lafayette Lady Cajuns (Sun Belt Conference) (2000)
2000 Louisiana–Lafayette 45–15 NCAA Regional
Southwestern Louisiana /
Louisiana–Lafayette:
759–250 (.752) 44–8 (.846)
LSU Tigers (Southeastern Conference) (2001–2011)
2001 LSU 59–11 26–4 1st (West) Women's College World Series
2002 LSU 56–11 25–4 1st (West) NCAA Regional
2003 LSU 50–18 20–9 2nd (West) NCAA Regional
2004 LSU 57–12 22–6 1st (West) Women's College World Series
2005 LSU 31–23 12–18 T–3rd (West)
2006 LSU 55–14 22–8 2nd (West) NCAA Super Regional
2007 LSU 55–12 22–6 1st (West) NCAA Super Regional
2008 LSU 44–18 17–11 2nd (West) NCAA Regional
2009 LSU 34–18–1 15–10–1 2nd (West) NCAA Regional
2010 LSU 45–16 20–8 2nd (West) NCAA Regional
2011 LSU 40–18 19–9 2nd (West) NCAA Regional
LSU: 526–171–1 (.754) 220–93–1 (.702)
Total: 1,285–421–1 (.753)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Yvette Girouard". RaginCajuns.com. University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Archived from the original on March 17, 2002. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  2. ^ "All-time letterwinners" (PDF), 2018 Louisiana Volleyball History and Records Book, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, p. 7, archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-06, retrieved 2018-05-20
  3. ^ a b c d "Yvette Girouard". LSU. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "NCAA Statistics: Yvette Girouard". Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  5. ^ 2018 Louisiana Softball History and Records Book (PDF). University of Louisiana at Lafayette. 2018. pp. 24, 29.
  6. ^ 2018 LSU Softball Media Guide (PDF). Louisiana State University. 2018. p. 77.