As a young child growing up in southeastern Louisiana, Ashley Brignac idolized the pitching of former Pac-10 standouts and current Olympians Lisa Fernandez and Jennie Finch.

Brignac, now a freshman pitcher at UL, gets a chance to share the field with her heroes today at 8 p.m. (CST) as the nationally ranked Cajuns play the U.S. Olympic Team in an exhibition game at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

UL (19-5) is ranked 16th nationally in the most recent NFCA poll, while Team USA (11-0) is undefeated on its "Bound-4-Beijing" Tour in preparation for the 2008 Olympics in China.

"They're people who have gone through the experience of playing softball in college and now are making a living at it," Brignac said. "It's people we've all looked up to playing softball. It's an honor to be able to play on the same field as them.

"It's a feeling you can't describe."

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Joshua Parrott
jparrott@theadvertiser.com