UPDATED WITH STORY: Colonel Coaches Caravan rolls into Morgan City

The Nicholls State Colonel Coaches Caravan kicked off its four-city tour of southeast Louisiana on Thursday, reinforcing ties between the Thibodaux university and east St. Mary.

The ties seemed a little tighter this year, when Nicholls officials, including President Dr. Jay Clune, and coaches met with 70 alumni at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City.

Not long after Clune became president in 2018, Morgan City Councilman and Nicholls alumnus Lou Tamporello said, local Nicholls grads lobbied for a Colonel Caravan stop here.

"From that point on," Tamporello said, "it's been a hit."

"This is always the best event," Clune said from the lectern at the Petroleum Club. "It always has the biggest crowd."

"We always try to go out and meet people where they are ...," said Nicholls Athletic Director Jonathan Terrell. "It's a great place to mingle."

This year's Morgan City event came a few days after Berwick High pitcher Hayden Robinson, who had signed a letter of intent last fall to play baseball for Nicholls, became the only Louisiana high school player to be selected in this year's Major League Baseball draft.

Robinson was drafted by Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round, one of 15 pitchers selected by the Brewers.

"We're hoping we can keep him and he doesn't go to the Brewers," Terrell said. "But we'll see."

Nicholls head baseball coach Mike Silva described Robinson as having good speed, a competitive nature and a solid family background.

"He's from here, right?" Silva said. "We've got to keep the kids at home. That's how you build any program, starting inside and working out."

Head football coach Tim Rebowe is working to rebound from a 3-8 2022 season with the help of some St. Mary players.

The 2023 roster includes Kyler Paul of Patterson, Hayden Seneca of Berwick, and Hugh Hamer and Nathan Hebb of Central Catholic.

Two local 2023 grads have signed Nicholls letters: linebacker Andrew Cavalier of Central Catholic and Berwick running back Jayden Milton.

The Colonels can't be accused of scheduling chumps as pre-conference warm-up opponents.

After opening at home Aug. 31 against Sacramento State, Nicholls goes on the road Sept. 9 to play Texas Christian, which went 12-0 in the 2022 regular season, was the national FBS runner-up. On Sept. 23, Nicholls goes to Tulane, which went 12-2 last season before knocking off 10th-ranked USC in the Cotton Bowl.

Nicholls has some numbers, with more than 90 players on the team..

"It's been a great summer ...," Rebowe said. "I like the direction that the players have things going."