HAMMOND – After being strongly considered as a candidate for the coach-in-waiting position at the University of South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana University baseball coach Jay Artigues withdrew his name from consideration late Wednesday.

“I'm staying at Southeastern,” Artigues, who led the Lions to a school-record 40 wins in 2010, said. “I was honored to be considered for the job at South Alabama, but in the end, my family and I love it here in Hammond and that was very important to me. I'm honored to be head baseball coach at Southeastern and look forward with a great coaching staff to continuing to build on our program. My family and I are very excited to be a part of the Hammond community.”

Artigues, 41, interviewed for the USA job after the Mobile-based school received permission from Southeastern officials. The coach-in-waiting position with the Jaguars would serve as an assistant coach in 2011 before replacing longtime coach Steve Kittrell beginning in 2012.

Under Artigues' direction, Southeastern has produced its best four-year run on the diamond in school history averaging nearly 36 wins per year including a school-record four consecutive 30-plus win seasons. The Lions opened the 2010 season with an 11-0 record that included a three-game sweep at Mississippi State and vaulted Southeastern into the national polls for the next eight weeks.

Artigues, who was named the Louisiana Co-Coach of the Year for his accomplishments in 2010, has posted a 166-121 record in five seasons in Hammond and is 440-229 in 12 seasons as a head coach that included stops at Bossier Parish (La.) Community College and Pearl River (Miss.) Community College.

The Bay St. Louis, Miss., native will enter the 2011 season third in school history in career wins trailing Southeastern Hall of Famers Greg Marten (348 wins) and Pat Kenelly (211).