August 25, 2009

Rhodes to Retire, Laval to Take Over at UNF

Dusty Rhodes announced that he will step down at UNF after the 2010 season, which will be his 23rd with the Ospreys.

UNF also introduced former LSU skipper Raymond “Smoke” Laval as its new head coach.

Rhodes started the UNF program from scratch at the NAIA level in 1988. He has posted a record of 879-420 in his 22 years at UNF and an overall mark of 1,182-538 in 30 seasons as a head coach. Rhodes guided the Ospreys to 16 postseason appearances, including five trips to the College World Series (two in NAIA, three in NCAA Division II). He has led the UNF program in its NCAA transition from Division II to Division I.

UNF was 23-31 this past season, including 15-15 in the Atlantic Sun. The Ospreys recorded victories over nationally-ranked Florida State, Miami and Florida, marking the first time in school history that UNF earned wins over all three state schools in the same season.

Laval has a record of 451-268-1 (.627) in 12 seasons as a Division I head coach. He was 210-109-1 (.668) in five seasons at LSU (2002-06), leading the Tigers to a pair of appearances in the College World Series (2003 and 2004). Laval was 241-159 (.603) in seven years at ULM (1994-2000).

A native of McDonald, Pa., Laval played two seasons at Gulf Coast Community College before transferring to Jacksonville, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 1977. He was a graduate assistant at LSU in 1979, where he earned a Master’s in Administration. Laval was an assistant at Florida for two seasons before returning to LSU as an assistant under Skip Bertman from 1984-93.

Laval is currently a scouting advisor for the Toronto Blue Jays.