The Allstate Sugar Bowl has recognized the top collegiate coach in the state of Louisiana since 1988 – candidates must coach at the collegiate level within the state of Louisiana. The honor is selected by the New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, which has been existence since 1957. In 1961, the group began selecting an overall coach of the year from the state – whether it be from high school, college or professional sports. All of the
Sugar Bowl annual awards were presented on a calendar-year basis until 2009 when the Committee changed to an academic calendar (July-June). The annual awards banquet is typically held in late July or early August. Records from 1991-98 are not available.
Brad Neffendorf, the head coach of the national championship LSU Shreveport baseball team, was selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s
Outstanding Collegiate Coach for Louisiana for 2024-25. Neffendorf led LSU Shreveport to an extraordinary and improbable perfect season as the Pilots won all 59 games to establish a new record for the longest winning streak in collegiate baseball history (all levels) while capturing the NAIA National Championship.
“All recognition is great, but it’s recognition for the entire program,” Neffendorf said. “It all comes down to all of the people involved. I have to give a great deal of praise to the players. Their commitment, their investment, their ability to quickly being able to operate each and every day as one unit, on and off the field. They became incredibly close, extremely quick. I also have a great deal of respect and appreciation and praise for our coaching staff – the work and investment that they put in made this happen.”
LSUS recorded a perfect regular season with a 47-0 record. They then swept through the Red River Athletic Conference Championship with four straight wins to establish the record for the longest winning streak in four-year college baseball history.
The Pilots hosted a first-round tournament in the NAIA National Championship and continued their dominance, defeating Ottawa (Kan.), 5-2, No. 21 Johnson (Tenn.), 15-4, and No. 19 Mid-America Christian (Okla.), 9-6, to head to the NAIA World Series with a mind-blowing 54-0 record.
They then posted five straight wins at the NAIA World Series capped by a 13-7 come-from-behind victory over Southeastern (Fla.) to win the championship.
“The players did an unbelievable job of managing distractions,” Neffendorf said. “They did an incredible job of not talking about [the perfect record]. They managed their level of focus; their intent in practice, in the weight room, during the early work – they always had the same focus and demeanor. We were very talented, but what took our talent to the next level was their ability to always stay focused on getting better and getting back to the World Series.”
“Brad's relentless commitment to excellence, leadership, and the belief he instills in his players have elevated LSUS Baseball to legendary status," said LSU Shreveport Director of Athletics Lucas Morgan. "I am so proud to have him leading our program."
