Roger Cador, the legendary Southern University baseball coach whose four-decade career transformed not only the Jaguars program but the landscape of Historically Black Colleges and Universities baseball, died in June 2026. He was 74.
A member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, Cador spent more than 30 years as head coach of the Southern Jaguars, compiling a career record of 913-597-1 while building one of the most respected programs in college baseball. Under his leadership, Southern captured 14 conference championships, made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, and won two Black College Baseball national championships in 2003 and 2005.
Born on January 30, 1952, in New Roads, Louisiana, Cador first made his mark as a standout athlete at Southern University, excelling in both baseball and basketball. As a junior in 1972, he led the Jaguars in hitting with a .393 batting average before being selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 10th round of the 1973 MLB Draft. He spent five seasons in the Braves organization, reaching Triple-A before returning to his alma mater.
Cador joined Southern’s coaching staff as an assistant baseball coach in 1978 before serving four seasons as an assistant basketball coach. In 1985, he became head baseball coach, inheriting a program with little equipment and few resources. Rather than accept those limitations, he found creative solutions. One of his favorite stories involved convincing his friend, Atlanta Braves manager Dusty Baker, to host a scrimmage, allowing Cador to return to Baton Rouge with a truckload of much-needed baseball equipment for his players.
His vision extended far beyond wins and losses. Cador championed improved facilities, helping spearhead the construction of an on-campus baseball stadium and later a dedicated baseball fieldhouse. He also founded the Urban Invitational, a showcase for Historically Black Colleges and Universities baseball that brought national television exposure through MLB Network.
Over his career, Cador coached dozens of future professionals while helping develop players who became coaches, scouts, and umpires. His most celebrated player was Rickie Weeks Jr., who became the first player from a predominantly Black university to win both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy in 2003 before becoming the second overall pick in the MLB Draft.
His Jaguars also made history by recording the first NCAA Division I Tournament victory by an HBCU baseball program, a milestone that reflected decades of persistence in elevating Black college baseball onto the national stage.
Beyond Southern, Cador served on a Major League Baseball task force focused on increasing African American participation in baseball, lending his voice and experience to efforts aimed at growing diversity throughout the sport.
In 2022, his extraordinary contributions were recognized with induction into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, cementing his place among the game’s most influential coaches.
Roger Cador leaves behind a legacy measured not only by championships and victories, but by the countless lives he shaped through leadership, mentorship, and an unwavering belief in the potential of his players. For generations of student-athletes at Southern University and across HBCU baseball, he proved that excellence could be built from the ground up with determination, vision, and heart.
