Louisiana-Lafayette coach Tony Robichaux dies at 57

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Louisiana-Lafayette baseball coach Tony Robichaux, who earned nearly 1,200 career wins and led the Ragin' Cajuns to a 2000 College World Series appearance, has died. He was 57.

Louisiana-Lafayette athletic department spokesman Patrick Crawford said family members notified school officials that Robichaux died Wednesday at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. Robichaux had been in the hospital after suffering a heart attack on June 23.

Robichaux posted a 1,177-767 record in 33 seasons as a head coach. He went 914-590 over the last 25 years at Louisiana-Lafayette after coaching at McNeese State from 1987-94. He owns the record for career wins at both Louisiana-Lafayette and McNeese State.

He led Louisiana-Lafayette to 12 NCAA regional appearances and four super regionals. Louisiana-Lafayette's 2000 team received the only CWS berth in school history. Robichaux's 2014 team earned the school's first No. 1 ranking and went 58-10 while setting a school record for wins.

"A man of deep, unwavering faith, integrity and moral character, Tony Robichaux stood for so much more than the game he coached," Louisiana-Lafayette athletic director Bryan Maggard said in a statement. "I will forever be grateful for how he prioritized the development of his student-athletes as outstanding young men first, and baseball players second. Our community will forever benefit from his teachings, philosophies and leadership."