On July 22, 2015, SLU’s athletic directors came together knowing they needed to hire a new coach with experience, someone who would bring success and a change of culture for Southeastern softball. Out of this search came Jackson State University Coach Rick Fremin. 

As of today, Fremin has passed 200 Southeastern career wins, showing a glimpse of his accomplishments at SLU. 

Fremin has led the nation in stolen bases every year of his coaching career at SLU and looks to replicate that success this season. In one notable season, 2019, Fremin’s on-base strategies led the nation with 227 steals, being the largest out of any SLU softball season and coming in at 1oth all-time in D1 softball history. 

“We have been blessed throughout our career to have players with talent and skill set in those areas, to run bases well in the NAIA level. We have led the nation in stolen bases here. We just continue to try and recruit to find the best fit and to hustle and play the game hard. I think the stolen bases are just a byproduct of us just trying to respect the game and turning singles into doubles, doubles into triples, put players in motion, and to play the game from an aggressive standpoint,” Fremin said. 

In Fremin’s first season at SLU, the softball team broke the previous school stolen bases record by over 100 steals, just showing the start of an aggressive and offensive play style that he has brought to the Lions’ softball team for over six years.

Southeastern has earned two NFCA Golden Shoe Award winners, two All-South Region performers, 22 All-Southland Conference honorees and 13 All-Louisiana selections during Fremin’s reign as head coach.

Fremin’s leadership and achievements are not without the help of his support system. His wife, Alana Fremin, is his assistant coach. Her experience at the collegiate level has helped the team excel with in-game knowledge.

“My wife has been on staff as a volunteer for over 15 years. Tried to hire her several times, but we have little ones at home, and we wanted a parent to be there to raise them. Now that they are older, she has accepted a full-time position here at the university, and it has been a blessing to have her on board because she understands the system. She is a former college player and Hall of Famer, and I think she has a lot to offer to give our program, and I think we work well together,”  Fremin said.

Fremin has also brought on Katie Godwin, who played on the team in the 2016 season and was hired in 2018 as an assistant coach.

The chemistry Fremin brings to the field and the Lions’ softball program has been reflected this season with a 37-14 record so far. The 2022 Southland Conference Softball Tournament starts with a 5 p.m. game versus Nicholls State on May 10 at North Oak Park inHammond, where the Lady Lions  will be the No. 2 seed and have a chance to claim their first league tournament title.