NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team was picked as the early favorite to win the Sun Belt softball title, the league office announced today. The Ragin’ Cajuns finished in front of 2007 Sun Belt champions Florida Atlantic in the preseason final poll. The 2008 Preseason All-Sun Belt team was also announced.

Louisiana finished in first place with 80 total points and eight of the nine first place votes. In addition, the Cajuns tied Western Kentucky for the most players on the Preseason All-Sun Belt list as three players were honored including Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) who was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

Joining Tankersley on the list were pitcher Brittany Cuevas (Brazoria, Texas) and outfielder Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.).

Tankersley is a two-time NFCA All-South Region selection, as well as, a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference pick. She was 2004 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and the 2004 Louisiana Freshman of Year. Tankersley was a 2007 Top 25 finalist for National Softball Player of the Year. Last season, she led UL in most offensive categories: batting average (.403), runs scored (60), total bases (140), slugging percentage (.733), hits (77), on base percentage (.519), RBI (61), home runs (18), hit by pitch (12) and total plate appearances (243). Tankersley had 25 multi-hit games and had a streak of six straight games with more than one hit. She boasted 15 multi-RBI games driving in five runs against ULM with four RBI in four different games. Tankersley had two home runs in four games, including a win over Penn State in the Judi Garman Classic and pair of homers in a Sun Belt win over Troy with three RBI. She also contributed in the pitching circle for the Cajuns in 2007, compiling a 12-5 overall record in 19 appearances with 93 strikeouts in 93.1 innings of work.

Cuevas was the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, as well as, a First Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection. She posted a 31-11 record in her inaugural season and her 31 wins were the most by a freshman pitcher in Cajuns’ history. Cuevas made 46 appearances in 2007, starting 44 games and tossing 12 shutouts. She led the team in ERA (1.99), wins (31), innings pitched (292.0) and strikeouts (303) and ranked in the top 10 in the country in wins. Cuevas struck out 10 or more batters in seven games, striking out a season high 12 on three separate occasions, including a dozen strikeouts against No. 2 Arizona State in a 2-0 win in the Judi Garman Classic. She started the 2007 season with 11 consecutive wins and had two wins over College World Series participant No. 17 Baylor and threw a two-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over Houston.

Hubbard was a First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference and All-Louisiana selection in 2007. She started all 64 games for the Cajuns in 2007, with 57 games in centerfield and seven games at shortstop following the injury to Codi Runyan. Hubbard was second on the team with a .328 batting average, runs scored (42), stolen bases (11), at bats (192) and hits (63). She led the team with 18 multi-hit games and had at least one hit in 43 of the Cajuns’ 64 games. Hubbard had an eight-game hitting streak during the season and ended the season on a six-game hitting streak that included three hits against Houston in the NCAA College Station Regional.

Florida Atlantic was picked second in the poll finishing with 70 points and 1 first place vote. The defending Sun Belt champions finished eight points ahead of third place finisher, Troy, who ended with 62 points.

The Trojans also added two players to the All-Sun Belt list as senior Jessica Lyle was honored at first base and Heidi Johnson was honored in the outfield

Western Kentucky also had three athletes honored on the preseason All-Sun Belt team with Jennifer Kempf being named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. In addition, Rachelle Boucher was honored at catcher and Rebecca Horesky was honored at third base. The Hilltoppers were voted to finish fourth in the Sun Belt racking up 46 points in the poll, just one point ahead of fifth place finisher South Alabama.

The Jaguars finished the poll with 45 points while also having two athletes recognized on the All-Sun Belt team. * Stevens was honored at second base and Evelyn Pare was one of the four outfielders selected to the squad.

Rounding out the final four teams in sixth through ninth place were Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Florida International and ULM respectively. Middle Tennessee ended with 40 points, North Texas finished with 32 points, Florida International racked up 16 points and ULM had finished with 14 points.

Joining the other honorees on the preseason All-Sun Belt team was Katya Muller from North Texas and Kim Rodriguez from Florida International.

The Sun Belt Conference softball seasons begins on February 8th and concludes with the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Softball Tournament on May 7-10. The tournament will be hosted by Troy University in Troy, Ala.

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Chris Whitehead