Skip Bertman, legendary LSU baseball coach, dies at 88

Stanley ‘Skip’ Bertman, the legendary architect of LSU baseball and former athletic director, has died at the age of 88. He passed away at Baton Rouge General Hospital on Friday, August 14, 2026, surrounded by his daughters.

During his 18 seasons as head coach starting in 1984, Bertman transformed LSU into a college baseball powerhouse. He led the Tigers to five national championships (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 2000), 16 NCAA tournament appearances, and 11 College World Series trips. He maintained a .754 winning percentage in NCAA tournament play, the highest in college baseball history.

Beyond coaching, Bertman served as LSU’s athletic director from 2001 to 2008, where he modernized facilities and oversaw the construction of the new Alex Box Stadium. The playing field at the stadium is named ‘Skip Bertman Field’ in his honor. His international coaching career included serving as an assistant for the 1988 U.S. Olympic gold medal team and head coach for the 1996 U.S. Olympic bronze medal team. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.