Wally Pontiff throws out a baserunner during the Tigers' SEC Tournament game with South Carolina on May 23. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) Pontiff Career Bio (.pdf)

Pontiff, 21, a three-year letterman, was the designated hitter on LSU's 2000 NCAA championship team, and he was the Tigers' starting third baseman the past two seasons. A biological sciences major with a 3.25 gpa, Pontiff was named to the 2002 District VI Academic all-America team, and he was a two-time of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Pontiff was selected in June by the Oakland Athletics in the 21st round of the Major League Baseball draft. Prior to his death, he was considering a decision to either sign with the Athletics or return to LSU for his senior season.

As a freshman, Pontiff helped lead the Tigers to the 2000 national title, batting .347 with 20 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBIs. He was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the 2000 SEC Tournament, and he was named an honorable mention Freshman all-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine.

Pontiff also hit .347 in 2001 with nine doubles, seven homers and 58 RBIs. He earned first-team all-SEC recognition, and he was voted to the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional all-tournament team. The Tigers reached the NCAA Super Regional round and completed the season ranked No. 9 in the country.

He batted .339 in 2002 with 20 doubles, six homers and 46 RBIs, earning second-team all-SEC honors as the Tigers advanced to an NCAA Super Regional and finished No. 11 in the nation.

Pontiff completed the 2002 season on the LSU career Top 10 lists in three offensive categories -- hits (9th, 254), doubles (tied for 7th, 49) and batting average (10th, .344).

Prior to beginning his collegiate career, he was an honor roll student and all-state baseball player at Jesuit High School in New Orleans.

Pontiff is survived by his father Wally, Sr.; his mother, Terry; a younger sister, Haley; and a younger brother, Nicholas.

Reaction
LSU athletics director Skip Bertman and baseball coach Smoke Laval spoke about Pontiff's death at a press conference Wednesday on the fifth floor of the athletic administration building.

Athletics Director Skip Bertman
On the passing of third baseman Wally Pontiff ...
"I know I speak for many voices, certainly the coaches, Coach (Smoke) Laval, Coach (Dan) Canevari, Coach (Turtle) Thomas and in fact all of the coaches that worked with Wally, the players that are here today, and all of the players that have played with Wally to say to the family, the shock, the horror, the grief that we all feel and our prayers are with Wally (father), Terry (mother), Nick (brother) and Haley (sister). They are a great, great family.

"I don't have the words to express the feeling. There is a lot of emptiness and it seems to be hard to fill. A lot of people have called me, especially fans, and have respectfully offered their prayers and sympathies to the family, the entire community of Baton Rouge and especially the LSU community.

"When someone is as talented and popular as Wally, this kind of tragedy affects so many people and it's tough to put it into words. His teammates are here and he was everybody's All-American."

On what he thought of Wally while recruiting him out of high school ...
"He caught my attention very, very early. Long before he was a senior. (Former LSU assistant coach) Jim Schwanke was coaching at that time and I went down to see him the summer before his senior year. When we recruited him in the fall, there was a tremendous rain storm, but he and his dad came up and he was the first recruit that we signed that year. His dad is a former player that I knew when he played, while I was at the University of Miami, and his dad is a wonderful role-model."

Baseball Coach Smoke Laval
On the death of Wally Pontiff ...
"It's a sad day not only for the Pontiffs but for the whole LSU family."

On memorializing Wally ...
"I'm sure there will be (some type of observance). Patches will be worn. They might put something up with the stars and stripes on the 'Intimidator' (outfield sign in Alex Box Stadium) in remembrance of his leadership."

On Wally's leadership qualities ...
"He was working to play in the big leagues, every single day. I didn't change much coming in here as coach, but one thing I did is we didn't have an appointed captain, but the players all went to him, which is what I wanted. He would have been the guy and deservingly so. He was a 3.2 pre-med student, an All-American guy.

"I know he was working daily to improve his strength, foot-speed, quickness and lateral movement. He was on a mission. He had a goal."

In lieu of flowers, the Pontiff family asks that donations be sent to:

The Strive Center
1139 Napoleon Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 895-2557