Gov. Edwards visits Nicholls for new covered outdoor practice facility ribbon cutting

It was a clear, comfortable early November afternoon in Thibodaux on Tuesday. There was really no need for a huge, covered facility on this day, but the folks at Nicholls State University were overjoyed to have it.

“It’s a very exciting day in the history of Nicholls State University of our new practice facility,” Jay Clune, the Nicholls president said. “This is a two-roof capital outlay project that goes back to the days of (former) Sen. Norby Chabert, constructing these two and we are finally opening the second part of the two-roof project.

“The facility reflects a commitment to providing our student athletes with the resources they need to excel both on and off the field. It’s a testament to the tremendous dedication and talent of our athletes and coaching staffs. Certainly, Coach (Tim) Rebowe and his coaching staff made so much possible by establishing a culture of winning on this campus. They inspire us with their hard work and dedication.”

The two-roof project Clune was referring to includes not just the covered outdoor facility, but also the Boucvalt Family Athletic Complex, that houses all football operations, including locker room, training rooms, field-level coaches’ offices, and a 110-seat meeting hall. That facility opened in 2021.

On hand Tuesday afternoon was Gov. John Bel Edwards. He was on campus to not only look over the new outdoor practice facility, but two other projects that are in their early stages at Nicholls.

“It is a great day to be a Colonel,” said Edwards to a strong approval from the crowd in attendance. “We’re here today talking about three construction projects. This one, that is finished, but a new nursing school, and also a center for coastal studies. All together from the state, about $45 million in investments on the campus at Nicholls.

“We are investing in education. Again, we are investing in higher education. We are investing in our people and our students.”

Edwards noted that the project price tags had help from other sources beside the state.

“This project, I know we are $3.5 million from the state, but the price tag is about twice that because of some outside investments,” said Edwards. “I did get a message from Archie Manning. He wanted me to apologize to people. He was just not able to be here today.

“But I’m here, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be on the campus to see how much energy, how much excitement, how much progress there is. I’m just excited about the future and what this means.”

The Manning family has provided financial support to Nicholls over the years, which has served as the venue for the annual Manning Passing Academy.

The outdoor facility said, Nicholls Athletic Director Jonathan Terrel, a former Colonel athlete and coach, will be used by more than just football.

“Just to have this to give to our student athletes, soccer, football, to be able to use it, to be able to stay out – as hot as it was in the summer, it is 20 degrees cooler under here, just because of being covered,” said Terrel. “We look forward to using it.

“It is definitely a game-changer, when you think about all that happens with recruiting, whether it’s student-athletes when students see you have winning programs and you have great leaders as in the coaches we have here, a great team that I get to work with, we are grateful for everything the legislature and what you have done, Gov. Edwards.”

Rebowe used what some might consider a bit of a baseball reference that comes from the move Field of Dreams.

“You can build it,” he said. ‘You can build it; you’ve just got to create a culture. We’ve done it with our football players.”

The Nicholls football coach had one final message to the crowd.

“I will leave you with, we’d love to see everyone Saturday coming out, looking to go undefeated in conference, and win our third conference championship.”