Softball rankings over time (1995-Present)

[ulforlife]

Hey Cajun fans, I was doing a little looking around and found this archived information so I decided to post it just to show what our University has done consistently over the past decade.

Here are the stats from the
USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll

Year Begin End Peak Avg
---- Rank Rank Rank Rank
1995 14 5 5 8
1996 6 5 5 5
1997 7 13 7 9
1998 19 <25 19 21
1999 <25 9 4 13
2000 10 22 10 14
2001 <25 17 17 20
2002 21 <25 17 21
2003 <25 8 8 14
2004 9 10 7 9
2005 9 19 5 11
2006 18 16 10 15
2007 19
Total Avg: 14

Again, these are based on this poll only. The peak trend that I see for 95-99 looks like it's about to make a round again from 03-09. I think these are going to be the best years yet!

I wish I could have posted this in excel but I think you can get the picture. Only 5 times in the last 12 years have we fallen out of the top 25, that only being for a little while, whereas we have been in the top 25 every year.

[LuLu]

Thanks ULforLife for the nice statistics.

So many of the UL alumni, students and supporters do not know about the Softball team and their notoriety in the nation. The women's softball team is a valued member of the elite softball programs in the USA. It is the only UL athletic sport that receives such accolades year in and year out... NATIONALLY. Only in softball are we level with the so called BCS schools. The schools with a lot of money.

Yvette and now the Lotiefs have/are turning pennies into big time recognition. They get so little money to fund the program, they must rely on donations and fund raisers for travel money and Park improvements. This program is so underfunded and so nationally recognized that I wonder just how far we could go if money was there. With the lack of money and all, we still get great recruits because of the TRADITION. The winning tradition. A GREAT program tradition.

Once a person goes to the Park, sees the family-like environment, realizes how positive the atmosphere is, meets the girls, watches them play, goes to a practice and sees how hard and long they work, their heart goes out to them and then that person wants to help out. Believe me, there are many things one can do besides donate money. Last week, I was at the Park, I saw men scaping and painting dugout benches, a woman pulling weeds in the flower beds which had been planted by a group of about 15 fan volunteers in the fall. Some men were spot painting where red paint was needed. It was busy, busy and Stefni was on the phone with someone about the garbage that hadn't been picked up all week.

There will be a fund raising banquet in October and a golf tournament in the summer. At the banquet, there will be an auction. Items are needed. There is always something to be done at the Park. If you have money though, they'll take it. Game Day sponsors are always welcomed as are the little gimmick gimmies like the K Club and the the Home Run Gang. These gimmies are where you pledge so much for each strike out and/or each home run. Makes for fun. Check out ragincajun.com and click on softball. You will find the forms to complete for entry into the best thing going in Lafayette; the UL Ragin' Cajun Women's Nationally ranked Softball team. Wake Up Lafayette! Go to a game. Go to practice. Go to the web site. Become involved. The team will make you so proud! Most of the players are from Louisiana? If they are not from Louisiana, they're from east Texas. Mike and Stefni take local, individual talent and make it exceptional, so exceptional that it is noticed by the National college softball powerhouses as one of "them".

The best thing to do is just go and show your face for a game, or a practice. The practices aren't closed. Team work usually begins about 4:30. Get involved! See you at the Park!