PAT KENELLY

the fifth member elected to the Hall of Fame, wore many hats during his lengthy association with collegiate athletics as a player, coach of two sports and as an athletic director.

But through that time there was always a single constant: all the hats were the Green and Gold of Southeastern.

A 1947 graduate Southeastern, Kenelly was captain of the undefeated 1946 team and earned All-Louisiana Intercollegiate Conference honors at end.
Kenelly was drafted by the Chicago Bears, but entered the coaching ranks, first at his hometown of Bogalusa, then in 1949 becoming the first alumnus to join the coaching staff at Southeastern.

For 14 of his 16 years as an assistant football coach at SLC, from 1949-64, he served as head coach Stan Galloway’s right-hand man and was instrumental in the program’s success including a 9-0 campaign in 1954, giving him the distinction of being the only Southeastern alumnus with ties to both undefeated teams.
In 1965, he was tabbed as the ninth head coach in Southeastern’s football history and directed the program through the 1971 season.

Kenelly also served in double capacity as football coach and Director of Athletics in 1971, when he succeeded the retired Ned McGehee. He resigned as football coach and became full-time athletic director in 1972, a capacity in which he served until 1976.

But it wasn’t for his coaching on the football sidelines or in the administrative role where he is best remembered. It was in the dugout, where he turned Southeastern baseball into one of the finest programs in the South is head coach.

In 1951, while still serving as an assistant football coach, Kenelly added baseball duties to his resume and became one of top winning coaches in SLU hardball history. Kenelly led the Lions to five conference championships (1953, 55, 57, 62, 63) and was twice named the Conference Coach of the Year in 1962 and ’63. He served in the post from 1951-64, and his 14 years as skipper of the baseball program remains a record today. Kenelly’s 230 wins are third only to former head coach and fellow Hall of Fame coach Greg Marten and current Lion skipper Jay Artigues. The baseball diamond is named in his honor – Pat Kenelly Field at Alumni Stadium.

His membership in the Hall of Fame and the later induction of his son Ken into the distinguished group make them the only father-son combination in Southeastern’s Hall of Fame.