The biggest, most star-studded and fun-filled party of every summer for miles around is coming your
way at the end of the month.
Three days of festivities are approaching beginning Thursday June 26 through Saturday June 28 for the
2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.
The LSHOF’s Class of 2025 will be enshrined Saturday night June 28 at the Natchitoches Events Center to
culminate the 66th Induction Celebration. The final event is already full with a waiting list and standing
room only tickets available.
The Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday, June 26, with the Welcome Reception from 5-7pm,
free to the public at the Hall of Fame museum at 800 Front Street.
The Friday, June 27 schedule begins with the Celebrity Bowling Bash presented by BOM at Four Seasons
Bowling Center in Alexandria. The 2025 Rockin’ River Fest, a free concert on the downtown riverbank
stage, begins at 6pm and runs until 10:30pm. In conjunction with the Rockin’ River Fest is the VIP Taste of
Tailgating party, a ticketed indoor-outdoor event that is approaching capacity.
The slate on Saturday, June 28 kicks off with the free LSHOF Junior Training Camp led by community
relations personnel from the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, along with Northwestern State coaches
and this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, on the NSU campus at the Webb Wellness and Recreation Center
and Turpin Stadium. This event is presented by Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and is nearing
capacity. Free registration for kids ages 7-16 is required and can be easily accomplished at
LaSportsHall.com.
At noon Saturday, the Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation is set for
Riverside Reserve on Mill Street. Fox Sports broadcaster Tim Brando emcees an entertaining program.
Festivities culminate Saturday evening with the Induction Reception at the LSHOF museum beginning at
5pm, followed at 7pm by the Induction Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. Northwestern State
University and State Farm Agents of Louisiana are presenting sponsors Saturday evening.
The VIP Taste of Tailgating, the Bowling Bash, the Round Table Luncheon and the Induction Reception
and Ceremony are ticketed events requiring purchase in advance through LaSportsHall.com or by calling
318-238-4255.
The Thursday reception, the Friday evening River Fest and the Junior Training Camp are free.
The Class of 2025 is headlined by two men pivotal in LSU’s 2003 football national championship – coach
Nick Saban and Andrew Whitworth, a champion at West Monroe High School, LSU and in the NFL during
a 16-year pro career. More sparkle is provided by pro basketball All-Stars Danny Granger and Vickie
Johnson, the state’s winningest all-time college baseball coach Joe Scheuermann and Danny Broussard,
one of the nation’s most successful high school basketball coaches, in this year’s induction class.
It also includes LSU gymnastics great and NCAA individual champion April Burkholder, transformational
Catholic-Baton Rouge high school football coach Dale Weiner and George “Bobby” Soileau, a four-time
high school and 1956 NCAA boxing champion at LSU who also won a state crown as a football coach at
his alma mater, Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte.
LSU graduate Herb Vincent, now a longstanding associate commissioner of the Southeastern
Conference, is receiving the Hall’s Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award with his enshrinement.
Also being honored: Ed Daniels, a generational television sports broadcaster in New Orleans, and Glenn
Guilbeau, one of the nation’s more decorated sportswriters in a career that has seen him cover LSU,
state college, high school and pro sports along with stories across the South and around the SEC. They
are being inducted as recipients of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Distinguished Service
Award in Sports Journalism.
The 2025 Induction Celebration will be hosted by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Foundation, the
support organization for the Hall of Fame. The LSHOF Foundation was established as a 501 c 3 non-profit
entity in 1975 and is governed by a statewide board of directors.
For information on sponsorship opportunities and other participation, contact Foundation
President/CEO Ronnie Rantz at 225-802-6040 or RonnieRantz@LaSportsHall.com, or Greg Burke,
Director of Business Development and Public Relations, at 318-663-5459 or
GregBurke@LaSportsHall.com via email.