Doc's Boathouse protects LSUS Fishing boats, symbolizes program's growth

Doc's Boathouse protects LSUS Fishing boats, symbolizes program's growth

SHREVEPORT - When the doors officially raised Thursday on Doc's Boathouse, the building stands for more than just a safe haven for the LSUS Fishing Team's six-figure bass boats.

The building is a symbol of how far the program has come.

For seventh-year coach Charles Thompson, who will guide his top-10 Pilots into the Association of Collegiate Anglers national championships later this month, it's a sign of the program's growth.

"A building like this wouldn't have mattered as much when we just had local kids on the team," Thompson said. "But now we've got guys coming in from across the state and across the South.

"To have a place to store these boats out of the elements and in a safe location is huge. Now anglers don't have to go home to get their boats for tournaments."

Doc's Boathouse will provide secure storage for six bass boats, all of which the collegiate anglers and their families own.

Benton native William Tew was fortunate enough to run back home to retrieve his boat when needed, but the fifth-year senior knows how important this is for the program in general.

"This boathouse provides more opportunities for us to attract anglers from out of town," Tew said. "Guys would store their boats in shops or at their apartments, and space gets pretty crammed.

"It's easier to get on the water now."

The boathouse is outfitted with electricity and climate control measures, which protects the fiberglass boats from oxidation and the sensitive navigation and fish finding equipment from damage.

The boathouse is named in honor of Dr. Lacy Williams, a long-time LSUS supporter who provided for scholarships and professorships as well as the Circle of Excellence and the annual Christmas tree on campus.

Williams, whose wife Edie is an LSUS alumna, loved to fish and took a particular interest in the fishing team.

"We couldn't have done this without Dr. Lacy and the Williams family," said Laura Perdue, executive director of the LSUS Foundation. "He and his family have made many generous gifts, including for this boathouse, and we can't thank them enough for how they've impacted the entire campus community."

Thompson shared that Lacy persuaded him to take over the program, and he counted him as a friend before Williams' passing in 2024.

"Dr. Lacy is pretty special to me, and he motivated me to change my career and change my life coming over from medicine," Thompson said. "This boathouse gives us a chance to compete across the country and represent the university in a unique and meaningful way.

"What started as seven or eight guys having meetings in a small office to now a team of 20 guys who are elite anglers that wanted to come here, it proves that as a smaller school we can compete."

Thompson added that achievement is happening not just on the water but in the classroom. Sixteen of team's 19 anglers qualified for either the Dean's List or Chancellor's List (3.5 to 4.0 GPAs).