Ethan Francis, a former Northwestern State pitcher, joined the Southeastern staff of coach Bobby Barbier in the fall of 2023 as the Director of Analytics.
In his first season, Francis helped produce a squad that established a program single-season record for home runs and posted its highest batting average (.282) in eight seasons. During the North Oaks Health System Southland Conference Baseball Championship, the No. 6-seeded Lions picked up a pair of wins and advanced to the semifinal round.
Four SLU hitters produced double-figure home run totals – TJ Salvaggio (13), Parker Coley (12), Jude Hall (12) and Shea Thomas (10) – as the Lions blasted 86 home runs as a team, besting the previous program record by three.
Hall, Coley and Justin Williams would each earn Southland Conference Hitter of the Week honors during the season, while right-hander Brennan Stuprich was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Week twice.
Stuprich, Salvaggio and Thomas each earned first-team All-Conference honors while left-handed pitcher Larson Fabre was named the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. Salvaggio and Thomas joined Rhett Rosevear and Jackson Rodriguez on the Southland’s All-Academic squad.
A two-time member of the Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Francis played three seasons at Northwestern State after transferring from Colby CC in Colby, Kansas. He appeared in 35 games during his Demon career, starting six. Francis compiled a 3-2 W-L record and one save to go along with a 5.91 ERA in 56.1 innings pitched. He surrendered 59 hits and 19 walks, striking out 43 batters.
Francis played two seasons of high school baseball at Foothills Composite in Okotoks, Alberta. He helped lead Foothills to championships at the Best of the West, the Butler University 18U Invitational and the Dawgs Mother’s Day Tournament as a senior.
A native of Canada, he hails from Miscouche, Prince Edward Island. Francis earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northwestern State in the spring of 2023.
