Houston Cougars' Bobby Champagne reflects on career amid March Madness

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- The NCAA tournament is back, and Bobby Champagne, director of basketball operations for the Houston Cougars is looking to add a national championship to his resume. 

Champagne is entering his 14th NCAA tournament and said there's nothing better than March Madness.

"Every one of these are special,” Champagne said. “First one, when I was at South Alabama, and then at one there with the Ragin Cajuns. They've all been special as an assistant coach or ops person or as the head coach. It's all been good. It's the best sporting event in the world and it's a lot of fun to be a part of it."

Champagne elaborated on what was it like being a coach for a march madness team when he went with the Cajuns back in 2000.

"We went to the NCAA tournament, won the Sunbelt Conference and played Tennessee in the first round," Champagne said. "It was a good group of guys, Brett Smith, David Patrick, Blaine Harmon, Reggie the Great. Those guys were a lot of fun to coach."

Moving from one conference to another didn't stop the Cougars from earning the number one seed in the South region of the NCAA tournament. Champagne shared what contributed to the team's success.

"We've got good players," Champagne said. "We've got a great staff and, and it all just kind of falls into place, whether we were in the American or in the Big 12, we still play to the same standards. So to come out of there as the regular season champ was, a lot of fun."

Champagne has nothing but love for the game of basketball, but his career-defining moment is bigger than what's on the court.

"I've been fortunate in my career to work with some good, good coaches," Champagne said. "Hall of famer, Lefty Driesell and future hall of famer Kelvin Sampson. But my defining moment, hopefully, is being a husband and a dad to my four kids."

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