Lion baseball faces some new changes as Jay Artigues took the position of Interim Athletics Director, while former recruiting coordinator and assistant coach Matt Riser steps up to the plate as Interim Head Coach.
The changes occurred with the resignation of former Athletics Director Bart Bellairs, who has led Lion Athletics since 2009. According to Damon Sunde, assistant sports information director, Bellairs and his wife moved to Virginia to attend personal family matters.
Riser believes that Artigues will perfectly fit the  open position by Bellairs.
“Coach Artigues has done a fantastic job of being involved with the entire program and community,” said Riser. “To bring that to the administration point, where he’s going to be now, is only going to help us to grow as a program, as a university and as an athletic department.”
Riser looked back on the previous baseball season while expressing optimism for the future.
“Overall, I feel like we’ve had another good year,” said Riser. “It was the fifth year in a row we’ve won 35 games or more. I think, no question, our strength was on the mound, pitching-wise. Our starting pitchers went a lot deeper in game.”
Riser feels that, though the team has faced some changes and challenges, the issues have been addressed, and the Lions are ready for their next season.
“I think we’ve met our needs for next year,” said Riser. “We lost two seniors there in the middle, at shortstop and second base. I think we’ve done a good job recruiting-wise and addressing our issues. We also got a center fielder and replaced the three outfielders we’re losing as well.”
In addition to the veteran talent, Riser is also excited to work with the team’s promising freshmen. Catcher and infielder Jameson Fisher was recognized as Freshman All-American, already setting a standard of excellence as a student athlete early in his career.
“Jameson’s a terrific player, but also a terrific kid,” said Riser. “He worked extremely hard. He’s always one of the first ones to show up and one of the last ones to leave. It’s rewarding to see that he got that type of recognition. He worked extremely hard for it.”
Fisher is the second Freshman All-American to be announced this year, making him the fifth Lion baseball player to make Freshman All-American in the past six years.
With impressive talent across the team’s spectrum and with Artigues’ leadership of the Athletics program, Riser is enthusiastic about his upcoming season as Interim Head Coach. However, he is not content to keep things the way they have been.
“Coach Artigues did a great job. When he got the baton, and we were at the bottom of a hill, the back of the race, he got us to the front of the race. Now it’s time to take that baton to the finish and see if we can finish first place.”