Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
<blockquote><p align=justify>Northern Kentucky University standout pitcher Krystal Lewallen said Thursday she will probably transfer to a Division I school and has narrowed her decision to UCLA or the University of Louisiana
Lewallen, a right-handed hurler and incoming senior, said she considered transferring after her sophomore season but wanted to return to an intact Norse team that could make a run at a Division II title.
She informed coach Kathy StewartÖ of her plans three weeks ago and said the school then granted a release for other programs to contact her.
“I knew if I didn’t try to do this, I’d regret it for the rest of my life,” Lewallen said.
This afternoon she is awaiting a UCLA board meeting that will determine if her credits and grades will transfer, and “to make sure I’m not coming here just one year to play softball.”
Her GPA is 2.9.
Next week Lewallen is visiting Louisiana-Lafayette’s campus.
Lewallen was named 2004-2005 Collegiate Sports Awards NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year after posting a 32-1 record and leading the Norse to a consecutive NCAA Division II World Series. She struck out 335 batters, posted a 0.36 ERA, and had 20 shutouts.
<center><p><a href="http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050707/SPT01/307070010">The source of the story</a>
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewsCopy
Her GPA is 2.9.
Next week Lewallen is visiting Louisiana-Lafayette’s campus.
Lewallen was named 2004-2005 Collegiate Sports Awards NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year after posting a 32-1 record and leading the Norse to a consecutive NCAA Division II World Series. She struck out 335 batters, posted a 0.36 ERA, and had 20 shutouts.
Wow! This would be a great addition! :<--:
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
This is great timing with Brooke leaving this would be an excellent addition to the team.
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
Krystal we would love to have you, in a Ragin' Cajun uniform. We all hope your enjoy your stay in Lafayette today, and that it leads to the best move of your life. You will love it here.
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
:h: I actuallly spoke with her yesterday!! She was on her way to Prejeans with her parents and Coach Stef.! Gerald, CajunCharlie, Mr. Provost, and myself were making one of the final tours of the Athletic Complex to be ready for Volunteer Weekend. The fun and Food of Volunteer Weekend was talked about. Someone asked if she wanted to partake in the fun, Steph said painting was not good for her arm(laughing) and I said she could pitch food to the Volunteers, they laughed! Gerald told them of the repavement project that will kick off this coming Monday(all roads and parking-currently paved to be repaved and striped) and Lourdes park. She and her family were very nice. All four of us and I am sure ALL of you hope she signs with the Cajuns!! With Four hitters that are 20+ Homerun hitters returning, and a very talented defensive group returning, having a pitcher like her would certainly put UL over the hump(COLLEGE WORLD SERIES TITLE)!!! With Brooke Mitchell having a healthy "rib cage" last year the Cajuns at LEAST make it to the finals of the World Series!!!!!!
..O..
DaddyCajun,
Crossing his fingers and Toes!
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
:h: With Four hitters that are 20+ Homerun hitters returning, and a very talented defensive group returning, having a pitcher like her would certainly put UL over the hump(COLLEGE WORLD SERIES TITLE)!!!
I am wondering WHO are the returning FOUR (4) (1 + 1 + 1 + 1) Homerun hitters ??? FOUR? In softball? Is that CAREER homerun hitters? Yes, it must be CAREER, not season. Then, that would be Gomez (53) , Bertucci (25), Bryant (25) and maybe Tankersley (20). Ashley Evans had 10 in 2005, but has only 16 career homeruns. I answered my own question, huh? It must be CAREER!
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
I wonder how many 25+ career home run hitters we can have on the team by the end of next season. Is the answer (4) the same?
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbine
I wonder how many 25+ career home run hitters we can have on the team by the end of next season. Is the answer (4) the same?
Yeh, yeh, career, thats the ticket!!!!! ..O.. 6 career 20+ homerun hitters onthe team by end of next year!
DADDYCAJUN .~.
Re: Krystal Lewallen Considering Transfer to Louisiana
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
Yeh, yeh, career, thats the ticket!!!!! ..O.. 6 career 20+ homerun hitters onthe team by end of next year!
DADDYCAJUN .~.
Okay, I give! WHO are the six? Gomez, Bryant, Evans, Bertucci, Tankersley (?), AND.... .? Should we count Tankersley?
Lewallen could be added as ace
<blockquote><p align=justify>Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball program posted a 51-10 record and rolled into the NCAA Tournament after yet another Sun Belt Conference championship in 2005.
If the Cajuns are going to keep that streak intact in 2006, they will need to reload a pitching staff depleted by the graduation of All-American ace Brooke Mitchell.
Replacing one All-American with another would be quite a coup for UL, and Krystal Lewallen might be a big part of the answer for the Cajuns.
Lewallen was the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year last season, as well as the Division II Athlete of the Year, after leading Northern Kentucky to a national record 55 straight victories and a 55-2 record in 2005.
She has obtained her release from Norse coach Kathy Stewart in hopes of pitching at the highest level of the college game, and has narrowed her choice down to Louisiana and UCLA.
Lewallen, who will have one year of college eligibility remaining, visited the UL campus last week and met University President Dr. Ray Authement, co-head coaches Stefni Lotief and Michael Lotief as well as potential Ragin' Cajun teammates at that time.
As with high school recruiting, neither coach is allowed to comment on prospective student-athletes before they are members of the program.
Lewallen struck out 335 batters, had a 0.36 earned run average and posted 20 shutouts en route to a 32-1 record in the circle for the Norse in 2005.
"I love this team, and I'm on good terms with Coach (Stewart), but I feel like I've reached a peak at this level," Lewallen told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I wanted to play with some of the best teams in the country, which will give me a chance to play after school."
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050717/SPORTS/507170364/1006">The rest of the story</a>
Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com <!--
Lewallen and her summer softball coach, Don Dobina, e-mailed the top 20 softball schools to gauge their interest in her, and she quickly heard from UL and UCLA as well as Georgia, Texas A&M, DePaul and Nebraska.
"I thought it was going to be a hard thing, but it's been like a dream," said Lewallen, who is expected to announce her choice this week.
Mitchell, who led UL to the 2003 Women's College World Series, was 28-7 for UL last spring and left the program as the school record-holder for wins and strikeouts.
Heather Bobbitt, who at present is weighing the option of religious mission work against continuing with college athletics, was 18-1.
The Cajuns expect Ashley Kirchberg (5-2) to return and have signed high school pitching standouts, but will take the steps necessary to maintain their accustomed high caliber of pitching.
UCLA finished 40-20 last spring behind freshman pitcher Anjelica Seldon (29-14). Also on that staff were sophomore Kristen Dedmon (0-0), sophomore Lisa Dodd (9-6) and freshman Krista Colburn (2-0).
Lewallen, who briefly left the Northern Kentucky program as a homesick freshman, has developed into the best player at her level. She now wants to see what the next level is like.
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Re: Lewallen could be added as ace
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewsCopy
<blockquote><p align=justify>She has obtained her release from Norse coach Kathy Stewart in hopes of pitching at the highest level of the college game, and has narrowed her choice down to Louisiana and UCLA.
Interesting that her choices have narrowed down to the University of California - Los Angeles and the University of Louisiana - Lafayette. I sure hope she decides to come here and be a Ragin' Cajun!
Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Just wondering if there was any Softball Pitcher Recruiting news as of yet? If so, I sure hope it is GREAT NEWS for "LADY CAJUN SOFTBALL"!!!!!! ..O..
Curious,
DaddyCajun! :ms09:
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
Just wondering if there was any Softball Pitcher Recruiting news as of yet? If so, I sure hope it is GREAT NEWS for "LADY CAJUN SOFTBALL"!!!!!! ..O..
Curious,
DaddyCajun! :ms09:
Scott Brasda with KATC @ 6pm stated that LOUISIANA signed a New Pitcher Standout Krystal Lewallen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! National player of the year!!! Signed sealed, and to be delivered!! Welcome Krystal!!
GEAUX CAJUNS,
GEAUX STEPH AND MICHEAL
DADDYCAJUN!!
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
Scott Brasda with KATC @ 6pm stated that LOUISIANA signed a New Pitcher Standout Krystal Lewallen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! National player of the year!!! Signed sealed, and to be delivered!! Welcome Krystal!!
GEAUX CAJUNS,
GEAUX STEPH AND MICHEAL
DADDYCAJUN!!
GREAT NEWS----Is there anyway we can flood her house with letters, e-mails, flowers, etc.????? And the beat goes on ---DADADAdat datdatda!!!
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
Scott Brasda with KATC @ 6pm stated that LOUISIANA signed a New Pitcher Standout Krystal Lewallen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! National player of the year!!! Signed sealed, and to be delivered!! Welcome Krystal!!
GEAUX CAJUNS,
GEAUX STEPH AND MICHEAL
DADDYCAJUN!!
Awesome! Shows how great and respected our program is.
Re: Ragin' Cajuns Hopeful
It is offical she is a Cajun...Good luck and enjoy your up coming season as a Lady Cajun.
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
There is a very nice article on the Softball web page.
http://www.ragincajuns.com/softball/softball.htm
.
Also, an interesting article in the Cincinnati Enquirer:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...30367/1063/SPT
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaddyCajun
Scott Brasda with KATC @ 6pm stated that LOUISIANA signed a New Pitcher Standout Krystal Lewallen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! National player of the year!!! Signed sealed, and to be delivered!! Welcome Krystal!!
GEAUX CAJUNS,
GEAUX STEPH AND MICHEAL
DADDYCAJUN!!
A true sign as to how great things are becoming here in Cajun land from a national prospective! :<--:
Re: Any Softball Recruiting News Yet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RaginEsquire06
A true sign as to how great things are becoming here in Cajun land from a national prospective! :<--:
Do you know of the younger pitchers we have at UL in softball returning and incoming?
Indoor Practice Facility will do even more for ALL sports recruiting!!
DaddyCajun!
Lewallen Heads to Bayou Country
<blockquote><center><img src="http://www.challengernky.com/content/articles/2005/07/31/sports/doc42ea3abe67cee289991490.jpg"></center><p align=justify>HIGHLAND HEIGHTS - Krystal Lewallen, the Northern Kentucky University pitcher who led the team to a 55-2 season, will be playing for the University of Louisiana (Lafayette) Ragin' Cajuns next season.
The move puts Lewallen, the NCAA Division II Women's Athlete of the Year, in Division I play for her senior year.
<center><p><a href="http://www.challengernky.com/articles/2005/07/31/sports/doc42ea3abe67cee289991490.txt">The source of the story</a>
The challenge lures Lewallen from NKU to LOUISIANA La.
<blockquote><p align=justify>In three seasons at Northern Kentucky University, former South Oldham High School pitcher Krystal Lewallen accomplished nearly all that was possible in NCAA Division II softball.
So Lewallen has transferred to Sun Belt Conference power Louisiana-La. where she will play her final collegiate season in Division I.
"I'm leaving because I just wanted a little more competition and to be pushed a little harder," said Lewallen, who was named the Division II National Player of the Year in May. "I thought I could do that by playing in Division I."
Lewallen, who also was named the 2004-05 Collegiate Women Sports Awards NCAA Division II Athlete of the Year, went 32-1 with a 0.36 ERA and 335 strikeouts last season. She led No. 1-ranked NKU to an undefeated regular season, an all-divisions softball record 55 straight victories and into the Division II World Series.
The two-time first-team Division II All-American is NKU's career leader in wins (79) and strikeouts (836) and leaves with a career ERA of 0.45.
Lewallen chose Louisiana-La. over 11-time national champion UCLA. Louisiana-La. offered a better financial package. It will pay for the 2005-06 school year, which will begin Aug. 22, and for the 2006-07 school year so she can complete her degree.
"That's hard to turn down," she said.
Lewallen joins a Ragin' Cajuns team that was ranked No. 14 in the country, reached an NCAA regional and finished 51-10 last season. She likely will be the ace of the staff with the graduation of former All-American Brooke Mitchell, who won 119 games during her career. The Ragin' Cajuns will return 11 letterwinners.
<center><p><a href="http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050814/SPORTS/508140458/1002/SPORTS">The rest of the story</a>
By Nathan Chambers
Special to The Courier-Journal <!--
"This is a huge signing for our program," Louisiana-La. co-head coach Michael Lotief said in a statement posted on the school's Web site. "We are getting a person who is very gifted and has had much success at the national level. She's an impact pitcher as evidenced by the fact of her National Player of the Year honors, record, strikeouts, ERA and being pursued by UCLA. This gives you an indication of what kind of competitor she is -- a fierce competitor who wants to win."
Lewallen first considered transferring at the end of her sophomore year, but she decided to return to NKU to pursue a national title.
"We had our whole team coming back, and I wanted to stay for that and try to win a championship," she said.
Now she'll try to do that at Louisiana-La.
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