Jim Gilligan Scholarship Established for Baseball :: A scholarship has been set up to honor the long-time Lamar baseball coach.

July 9, 2007

Jim Gilligan, head coach of Lamar University's baseball team for 30 years, is being honored with the Jim Gilligan Scholarship in Baseball.

Lamar baseball fans and Cardinal Club members started the fund for the Gilligan Scholarship as a symbol of the respect for, and recognition of, all that Gilligan has achieved. Donors said they hope the scholarship continues to grow and leave a permanent legacy in honor of Gilligan. The scholarship will assist members of Lamar's baseball team in attending Lamar.

In his 30 seasons as head coach, Gilligan has guided Lamar University's baseball team to 11 conference championships, 11 NCAA regional appearances, and four conference titles. He has been named the Southland Conference coach of the year five times during his career and is the 32nd coach in NCAA history to record 1,000 career wins--which was the catalyst for beginning the scholarship in his honor. In recognition of his career achievements, Gilligan was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004.

While he was earning his bachelor's degree in physical education at Lamar University, Gilligan was a pitcher for the baseball team. He later received his master's degree in health and education and now teaches activity classes as a tenured faculty member at the university. He received his 35-year service award in April 2007.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to a member of Lamar's baseball team who is majoring in an academic area leading to a bachelor's degree and is a full-time student.

Additional information on contributing to the scholarship is available from the Lamar University Foundation, (409) 880-2117.