WGNO

Hurricane Ida damage to Southeastern Louisiana University’s campus forces fall sports teams to relocate

HAMMOND, La. (WGNO) — Southeastern Louisiana University’s campus and surrounding areas are littered with dozens of downed trees and power lines days after Hurricane Ida passed through Tangipahoa Parish.

Southeastern Louisiana University Athletic Director Jay Artigues told WGNO Wednesday that on top of damage to campus buildings, the baseball, softball, and basketball facilities were also damaged.

Artigues says that fall sporting events have been moved out of town while the university works to clear the wreckage.

“We’ve been through these. Fortunately, we were really prepared and we’ve got great leadership from Dr. Crane from the top on down. Our coaches did a great job lassoing all of the groups together, all of the teams together and making sure they had a safe place to go. Everybody was secure and the student athletes were taken care of. We managed to send all of our in-season sports, they’re out of town. Volleyball is at Auburn. We sent football team up to North Alabama. So, they’re going to stay in North Alabama and after the game they’re going to stay up there all week and work out and get ready for the Louisiana Tech game. And then Soccer is in Beaumont preparing for their match,” says Southeastern Athletic Director Jay Artigues.

The latest team to leave Hammond was the Southeastern football team as they head to North Alabama to play their regular season opener Saturday, Sept. 4.

Saturday’s game was originally scheduled as a home contest for the Lions. Instead, they will play their first regular season home game at Strawberry Stadium Saturday, Sept. 25.