Purdue baseball bolstered its coaching staff with the addition of assistant coach Seth LaRue in July 2023.
After playing for Greg Goff on Campbell’s 2014 Big South Conference Tournament championship team that won 41 games and represented the league at an NCAA Regional, LaRue went on to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Campbell. He most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Indiana (2023) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2020-22).
Purdue assistant coach Chris Marx both coached (2015) and worked alongside (2016) LaRue at Campbell. Both men are Evansville natives that have coached at USI.
As a three-year assistant coach at Southern Illinois from 2017-19, LaRue had a lead role in the instruction of hitting and base running while coordinating the in-game offensive strategy. The Salukis stole 375 bases across those three seasons, ranking fourth nationally during that span. SIU’s stolen base total climbed from 100 in 2017 to 131 in 2018 to a program-record 144 in 2019 – boasting the top two individual leaders in the Missouri Valley Conference all three years. An 80% percent conversion rate in both 2018 and 2019 helped SIU rank among the top five nationally and lead the MVC in steals both years. Southern also led the league in triples in each of his final two seasons in Carbondale.
“We’re excited to have Seth join our staff and program at Alexander Field,” Goff said. “He played for me at Campbell and worked with Coach Marx in Buies Creek while earning his master’s degree. Seth has a great feel for the game and is an ideal match for the style of play we like to employ at Purdue. More importantly, he’s a man of great integrity with a tremendous work ethic. He is a proven winner in every regard.”
As the lead assistant at USI in 2023, LaRue continued to coach the hitters and base runners while working with the outfielders and catchers defensively. In their first season at the Division I level, the Screaming Eagles led the Ohio Valley Conference in on-base percentage. He has served as the third base coach at SIU, TAMUCC and USI.
“I want to thank Coach Goff for the opportunity to join the Purdue Baseball program,” LaRue said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to coach in my home state for one of the premier athletic and academic institutions in the country. I’m also thrilled for the chance to work with Coach Goff and Coach Marx, who both had such a profound impact on me as a player and person. They’ve continued to mentor and support me on my coaching journey.”
With LaRue spearheading the daily hitting development, A&M-Corpus Christi set team records for runs (401), RBI and triples in 2022. Tre Jones led the Southland Conference in slugging percentage while connecting for 12 home runs and 18 doubles. Brendan Ryan was 26 of 27 on stolen bases attempts to set a team record. Both players were first-team all-conference honorees. LaRue also helped recruit lefthanded pitcher Zach Garcia, who was the Southland Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American in 2022.
Southern Illinois had seven players selected in the MLB Draft from 2017-19 and LaRue helped recruit three other draftees to campus.
LaRue was a utility man during his playing days, seeing action as a catcher, infielder and outfielder. He started 53 of Campbell’s 56 games as a senior in 2015 and played in 97 games total as an upperclassman. He was a two-year starter and two-year academic all-conference honoree at Olney Central College from 2012-13. He played summer ball in both the Coastal Plain and Ohio Valley Leagues, representing the Wilson Tobs at the 2014 CPL All-Star Game.
LaRue earned both his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science and master’s in business administration from Campbell.
LaRUE'S COACHING CAREER BY SEASON
Purdue – Hired in July 2023
Southern Indiana – 2023
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 2020-22
Southern Illinois – 2017-19
Campbell – 2016
After playing for Greg Goff on Campbell’s 2014 Big South Conference Tournament championship team that won 41 games and represented the league at an NCAA Regional, LaRue went on to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Campbell. He most recently served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Indiana (2023) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2020-22).
Purdue assistant coach Chris Marx both coached (2015) and worked alongside (2016) LaRue at Campbell. Both men are Evansville natives that have coached at USI.
As a three-year assistant coach at Southern Illinois from 2017-19, LaRue had a lead role in the instruction of hitting and base running while coordinating the in-game offensive strategy. The Salukis stole 375 bases across those three seasons, ranking fourth nationally during that span. SIU’s stolen base total climbed from 100 in 2017 to 131 in 2018 to a program-record 144 in 2019 – boasting the top two individual leaders in the Missouri Valley Conference all three years. An 80% percent conversion rate in both 2018 and 2019 helped SIU rank among the top five nationally and lead the MVC in steals both years. Southern also led the league in triples in each of his final two seasons in Carbondale.
“We’re excited to have Seth join our staff and program at Alexander Field,” Goff said. “He played for me at Campbell and worked with Coach Marx in Buies Creek while earning his master’s degree. Seth has a great feel for the game and is an ideal match for the style of play we like to employ at Purdue. More importantly, he’s a man of great integrity with a tremendous work ethic. He is a proven winner in every regard.”
As the lead assistant at USI in 2023, LaRue continued to coach the hitters and base runners while working with the outfielders and catchers defensively. In their first season at the Division I level, the Screaming Eagles led the Ohio Valley Conference in on-base percentage. He has served as the third base coach at SIU, TAMUCC and USI.
“I want to thank Coach Goff for the opportunity to join the Purdue Baseball program,” LaRue said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to coach in my home state for one of the premier athletic and academic institutions in the country. I’m also thrilled for the chance to work with Coach Goff and Coach Marx, who both had such a profound impact on me as a player and person. They’ve continued to mentor and support me on my coaching journey.”
With LaRue spearheading the daily hitting development, A&M-Corpus Christi set team records for runs (401), RBI and triples in 2022. Tre Jones led the Southland Conference in slugging percentage while connecting for 12 home runs and 18 doubles. Brendan Ryan was 26 of 27 on stolen bases attempts to set a team record. Both players were first-team all-conference honorees. LaRue also helped recruit lefthanded pitcher Zach Garcia, who was the Southland Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American in 2022.
Southern Illinois had seven players selected in the MLB Draft from 2017-19 and LaRue helped recruit three other draftees to campus.
LaRue was a utility man during his playing days, seeing action as a catcher, infielder and outfielder. He started 53 of Campbell’s 56 games as a senior in 2015 and played in 97 games total as an upperclassman. He was a two-year starter and two-year academic all-conference honoree at Olney Central College from 2012-13. He played summer ball in both the Coastal Plain and Ohio Valley Leagues, representing the Wilson Tobs at the 2014 CPL All-Star Game.
LaRue earned both his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science and master’s in business administration from Campbell.
LaRUE'S COACHING CAREER BY SEASON
Purdue – Hired in July 2023
Southern Indiana – 2023
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 2020-22
Southern Illinois – 2017-19
Campbell – 2016