PINEVILLE, La. – Louisiana College announced Saturday that Mark Rosier has accepted the position of head softball coach for the program that has spent the last seven years as a perennial national power.
Rosier has lived and worked as an educator in Central Louisiana since 1989. He has spent the last nine years as softball coach at Alexandria Senior High.

"There is no such thing as coincidence," Louisiana College President Dr. Joe Aguillard said. "The Lord works neither through chance nor serendipity. He provides for our needs, sometimes in mysterious and awe-inspiring ways, but never by accident. How appropriate that after entertaining candidates from across the state, the South and the nation, we found the man that I truly believe to be the ideal coach right here in Central Louisiana.

“Coach Rosier is a man of great faith and impeccable character. He has an incredible record of success on the field and has, through his years of work in the Louisiana high school ranks, established a network of connections that we believe will allow him to continue to recruit the type of players Louisiana College has become known for in the past decade. He will field a team that we will all be proud of, a team that will not only remain nationally prominent but achieve previously unreached heights without sacrificing academics or a close walk with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

Rosier has been successful in the high school ranks having coached Alexandria Senior High to the state playoffs eight times. Prior to that he guided Oak Hill High School in Hineston, La., to a pair of state titles.

“I think the challenge of coaching at the next level is always going to be enticing for a coach,” Rosier said. “It's a natural progression for anyone who loves the game to want to advance to the next level. That was the biggest factor in it.

“Louisiana College has been a strong program, very successful as far as wins and losses. The challenge for me, being new, is that I will be coaching players who I did not bring to LC. The first thing I want to do is build a trust and a relationship with the players who are already here. That's the primary job for me.”

Rosier said that he understands the legacy that has been established at Louisiana College in the last decade and does not wish to see any drop off.

“The goals for the team will not change,” Rosier said. “We still want to compete for conference championships, NCAA regionals, World Series appearances and national titles. But we will not get away from what makes LC unique. Louisiana College is a place where the development of the player as a person and as a student is more important than the player's development as an athlete. We will win, but we don't want to be a win at all costs team. Having a team that is competitive on a national level and successful in the classroom and in the community is doable. We have great players already in place. If everyone continues to work hard, we can continue to be a strong program.”

Rosier and his wife, Penny, have been married for 26 years and have four children. He is a graduate of LSU.

During his high school tenure, he coached three softball players who went onto play college ball: LC legend Sandi Clark, Heather Sherrill (Southeastern) and Krystal Nelson (LSU-Alexandria).

In addition to his two state softball titles, Rosier also has one state runner-up and seven trips to the Louisiana state softball tournament. He's twice been named Cenla Coach of the Year.