16th Year at McNeese
6th since 2009
Steve Welch returned to the coaching ranks at the beginning of the 2009-10 season, brought out of retirement by the opportunity to coach with his former assistant coach and good friend Dave Simmons.
Since his return, he’s been a apart of a conference championship team and has helped lead the Cowboys to two national postseason tournaments.
The former Cowboy head coach was also a long time assistant at both Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana during his career.
He is coaching all aspects of the game for the Cowboys and is also handle recruiting for the coaching staff as well as scheduling.
One of the nation’s top recruiters when he was a member of the Louisiana Tech staff (he signed Karl Malone and Randy White) Welch spent seven seasons as the McNeese State head coach, winning 76 games along with a conference tournament title. His team also competed in the NCAA tournament almost knocking off then nationally ranked Illinois in an opening game.
Among the Cowboy standouts on those Welch teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s were Anthony Pullard, Martin Yokum, Michael Cutright and Terry Griggley.
“Ever since Dave (Simmons) came back to town, we’ve talked about me coming back and helping out,” the coach said on his return. “I had retired once and then thought about retiring again until Dave asked me to come help out,” Welch said.
Welch had spent 12 years as the assistant director of intramurals at the university after leaving the coaching ranks.
The McNeese coach and his wife Judi, who is a retired school teacher, have two sons and five grandchildren.
Dr. Brett Welch is an assistant professor in education at McNeese while Dr. Todd Welch is a periodonist in Jackson, TN.
The Welch File
PERSONAL
Born: Sept. 27, 1949
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Married: Wife Judi
Children: Brett, Todd
EDUCATION
1968 Lee Junior College
1970 Southeastern Louisiana
• Bachelor’s in Education
1972 Southeastern Louisiana
• Masters in Education
COACHING CAREER
‘71-’73 SLU Graduate Assistant
‘73-’74 Head Coach - Lafayette High School
‘74-’79 Assistant Coach - Southeastern La.
‘79-’87 Assistant Coach - Louisiana Tech
‘88-’94 Head Coach - McNeese State
‘09-present Assistant Coach - McNeese State
PLAYING CAREER
‘67-’68 Lee Junior College
‘69-’70 Southeastern Louisiana PG
• All-Region, All-Academic
OTHER
Past President of Louisiana Basketball Coaches Association
