About Our Team

We have a long tradition of excellence in track and field at the conference and national levels. Currently our program includes over 90 male and female student-athletes across four event groups—sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws and distance. The program has produced over 100 NCAA All-Americans in its history and has won 33 conference titles.

In the past decade, there have been 45 Sun Belt Conference Champions along with 164 all-Sun Belt conference athletes from the University of Louisiana. In 2021, the Ragin’ Cajuns qualified 21 athletes for the NCAA regional meet, a record number for the program. Eight athletes qualified for nationals that season as well. This was the highest number of athletes representing Louisiana at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 30 years, showing the program has been back on the rise.

Dominating in the sprint events, the Ragin' Cajuns were the 4x100m Sun Belt conference champions for the first time since 1997. In 2021 the women's 4x100m relay team were Texas relays champions, one of the most difficult meets in the country.

This season the Ragin’ Cajuns have a chance to be one of the best teams in school history. We intend to grow our current program into a consistent conference, regional and national power.

Please help us maximize our potential as a team with your gifts.

Coaching Staff

University of Louisiana at Lafayette alumnus Lon Badeaux returned home as head coach of the Ragin' Cajuns men's and women's track & field and cross country programs on June 29, 2011. Now in his 12th season as head coach, Badeaux has coached 44 Sun Belt Conference champions and 164 All-Sun Belt Conference selections since his arrival at his alma mater. Coach Lon has brought back a winning culture to the University of Louisiana’s track and field team.

Tommy Badon, one of the country's most renowned track and field coaches, returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team. During his first stint at Louisiana, Badon was part of a team that claimed 14 indoor and outdoor conference championships while producing 27 NCAA All-Americans. Badon coached Hollis Conway, the world’s number one high jumper in the early 1990’s and the current United States record holder in the indoor high jump. His relay teams were ranked third nationally in the track and field relay rankings for the 1993 season.