Southeastern Louisiana University has named Errol Gauff as its head women’s basketball coach, SLU Director of Athletics Jay Artigues announced on Saturday.
Gauff’s hire is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. The LaPlace, Louisiana native is the sixth head coach in program history.
Southeastern will formally welcome Gauff as its new head women’s basketball coach on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the Victory Club. The “Meet the Coach” event is open to all Lady Lion fans, members of the community and media members.
“We are extremely privileged to have Errol Gauff take over as our new head women’s basketball coach,” Artigues said. “We were looking for someone who could provide long-term stability to our women’s basketball program and serve as a positive role-model for our student-athletes and Errol fits the mold.
“We have everything in place to support a program that consistently competes for Southland Conference championships and produces young women who represent our university well in the community and the classroom,” Artigues added. “Errol is the person to lead us in that direction.”
Gauff, a 1992 graduate of Alabama, has spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach on the Southeastern men’s basketball staff under Lion head coach Jay Ladner. A pillar of the Hammond community, Gauff came to SLU after spending 18 seasons as the head boys coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, where he built the Falcons into a state power and led STA to two state championships.
“I’m very excited and feel fortunate for this opportunity,” Gauff said. “I was blessed to join the Lion family two years ago as part of Coach Ladner’s staff. Those two years were a great learning experience for me and I was able to more fully appreciate what a special place Southeastern Louisiana University is. I’m thankful to our administration for this chance and am ready to get to work moving our program in the right direction.”
Gauff has been a key member of the Southeastern staff under Ladner that has overseen a steady improvement over the past two seasons. The Lions have made consecutive appearances in the Southland Conference Tournament, winning their first postseason game since 2012-13 this season.
During his time at STA, Gauff helped the school’s basketball program reach unprecedented heights, culminating with back-to-back Class 2A state championships in 2007 and 2008. Gauff led the Falcons to eight consecutive district championships from 2007-14, including a stretch of six consecutive undefeated runs through district play.
The first state playoff victory and playoff appearance as a member of Class 2A, as well as the first district championship and basketball state titles in St. Thomas history all came during Gauff’s tenure. A six-time district coach of the year, he was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year in 2006 after leading the Falcons to their first 30-win season in program history, starting a string of seven consecutive 30-victory campaigns.
Respected by his peers in the state of Louisiana, Gauff was a member of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) Executive Council and served as an executive officer for the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association in 1997 (secretary) and 1998 (vice president). Gauff, who was selected as an assistant coach in the 2012 High School All-America Game, also had coaching stops at St. Stanislaus School and Hahnville High School.
Gauff, who was the Assistant Athletic Director (2008-14) and Director of Advancement (2012-14) during this time at St. Thomas Aquinas, earned the 2014 Neighbors Way Award honoring a teacher or staff member for making a difference and demonstrating a true concern for their community.
In 2011 he received the Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award, awarded to individuals who have devoted their professional, philanthropic and volunteer capacities to humanitarian service and breaking down the barriers that divide our community and prevent us from working and living together in harmony. Gauff’s other honors include the 2013 Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church Academic Excellence Award and the 2011 National Society of High School Scholars Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction.
Gauff earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama in communication with an emphasis in broadcast journalism. An alumnus of St. Paul’s School in Covington, Louisiana, Gauff and his wife, Medria, reside in Hammond and are the parents of a daughter, Hailey Elizabeth.
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Photo Courtesy SLU Athletics
