LAKE CHARLES – Matt Fontenot, a McNeese graduate and former baseball letterman, has joined the McNeese Athletic Department as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs and Development, Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer announced on Wednesday.
 
Fontenot comes to McNeese after spending the past four years at St. Louis Catholic High School in multiple capacities, including the Director of Advancement, Director of External Operations and head baseball coach. He replaces Todd Butler who resigned to return to the coaching ranks where he accepted an assistant coach and Director of Baseball Recruiting position at the University of Oklahoma.
 
A Lake Charles native and St. Louis Catholic alum, Fontenot was instrumental in raising funds for the high school's post-Hurricane Laura master facility plan, a future development valued at $75 million. He led the post-hurricane project that received $3.2 million in FEMA money to have the school operating again following the devastating storm.
 
As a baseball coach, he helped guide the Saints to three consecutive district titles, the 2021 Louisiana Division II state championship and state semifinal appearances in 2022 and 2023.
 
"I cannot thank Heath (Schroyer) and all of the McNeese administration enough for the opportunity to serve my alma mater," said Fontenot who earned his Bachelor of Science degree from McNeese in 2009 and Master of Science in Sports Management from Texas A&M in 2013. "My playing career as a Cowboy was one of the most-proud times of my life and I am extremely excited to return to this great community. The vision for the future of McNeese State University is bold, but accomplishable with the efforts of the fantastic team Heath has assembled, and it is an honor to be on board."
 
"First off, the interest in this job just blew me away," said Schroyer. "There is definitely a buzz nationally about McNeese Athletics right now and where we are headed. I was so impressed with Matt, his professionalism, attention to detail and passion for this position. I'm excited to have him join our team."
 
Fontenot will be tasked with many duties including overseeing football's Champion's Club and men's basketball's Platinum Club – the highest level of ticket holders and donors. He'll also supervise the departments of the McNeese ticket office, game operations and athletic facilities, will be the liaison for the department with the McNeese Car Program and dealerships, and the sport administrator for football and baseball.
 
In addition, Fontenot will be the liaison for the department with McNeese's on-campus catering company, Chartwells, as well as campus housing. He'll assist Schroyer with various external projects as well as the selling of suites for the new football press box.
 
"Matt has a lot of administrative experience and obviously is a tremendous fit in our community," said Schroyer. "His experience overseeing football in the SEC and his ability to immediately connect in this community on an external/fundraising basis from day one will be tremendous assets to me and this department.
 
"Matt is an alum and his passion and love for McNeese was extremely evident from the multiple conversations we had during this process."
 
Prior to returning to Lake Charles, Fontenot spent six seasons at Texas A&M where he started as an assistant director of football operations, while his final two years as the director of football ops.
 
"My time at Texas A&M and St. Louis Catholic has given me a great perspective on both the challenges and opportunities in front of McNeese, and I'm looking forward to the work ahead," Fontenot said.
 
As a player at McNeese in 2009 and 2010, Fontenot played for Terry Burrows, earned several conference player of the week honors and multiple academic awards.
 
Matt and his wife, Mallory, celebrated their nine-year wedding anniversary on July 11. The couple has one son.