LAKE CHARLES – Jimmy Ricklefsen, who spent 15 years at McNeese as a player, assistant coach and head coach, and the last 18 years as an assistant at Lamar, has rejoined the McNeese baseball staff, head coach Justin Hill has announced.
 
Ricklefsen is a 1986 McNeese graduate and was an assistant coach under Tony Robichaux from 1988-94 helping the Cowboys to their first-ever Southland Conference championship in 1988 and two NCAA Regionals appearances (1988, 1993).
 
"To have someone of Coach Ricklefsen's experience and character be part of our team is hard to put into words," said Hill. "As a former coach and McNeese alumnus, he knows what it means to put on this uniform. He will be a tremendous asset to our program. I couldn't be more excited to have him on our staff."
 
After spending seven seasons as an assistant coach under Robichaux (1988-94) and one as a graduate assistant under Nolan Viator (1987), Ricklefsen was named McNeese's head coach prior to the 1995 season and led the Cowboys to a 41-16 record for the program's second straight 40-win season.
 
In his 18 years on the Lamar staff, Ricklefsen helped guide the Cardinals to two conference championships, two league tournament titles and four NCAA Regionals appearances.
 
As a player for the Cowboys from 1983-85, he played both the infield and outfield and hit .333 his senior season. He also led the Cowboys in stolen bases for two seasons and hit 11 career home runs.
 
"I can't express enough how grateful I am to Coach Hill for giving me this opportunity," said Ricklefsen.
 
The Cowboys will open the 2016 season on Friday when they host Southern Illinois at 6 to begin a three-game weekend series.