Skip Bertman, the Hall of Fame coach who built LSU baseball into a national powerhouse and later served as the university’s athletic director, died early Friday at age 88. He passed away at Baton Rouge General with his daughters by his side, according to media reports. Bertman took over the LSU ba seball program in 1984 and went on to win five national championships—in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000. During his 18 seasons as head coach, LSU made 11 trips to the College World Series and won seven Southeastern Conference championships, helping establish Baton Rouge as one of college baseball’s premier destinations. Bertman became LSU’s athletic director in 2001, overseeing a period that included national championships in multiple sports, major facility investments and several high-profile coaching hires. He retired from the position in 2008 but remained closely connected to LSU as an ambassador and fundraiser. Bertman’s impact is still visible throughout the university’s athletic program. The playing field at Alex Box Stadium bears his name, and a statue honoring him stands outside the ballpark. He was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. ...read more read less