The Book 2009 LAdy Cajuns Softball

[angellebertrand]

Can't wait for Feb. 6!!!

[RaginCajun77]

Yeah looking forward to it as well.

[LuLu]

How many of you realize that the winner of the Player of the Year is on the same level in softball as winning the Heisman in football? To be included on the Top 50 list is tremendous. However, this is not the first player to be so noticed. Brooke Mitchell, Danyele Gomez, Lacey Bertucci, and Holly Tankersley were also noticed.

[JMV JustMyView]

Great honor for the program.

[lcitsh]

#6 in one, #8 in this one. This ranking this early can be a critical first step towards getting a regional and possible super regional hosting bid. If the ladies can stay this highly ranked going into conference play, there's a good chance for that to happen. Don't you just love to speculate before the season even begins? Bring on the Rebels!



ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

January 27 – Preseason Poll

Rank Team 2008 Record Points PVS

1. Florida (18) 70-5 497 3
2. Alabama 58-8 466 4
3. Arizona State (1) 66-3 432 1
4. UCLA (1) 51-9 428 5
5. Michigan 52-8 384 9
6. Oklahoma 47-14 378 10
7. Arizona 41-19 369 7
8. Louisiana 52-15 364 6
9.Stanford 49-15 321 13
10. Texas A&M 57-10 309 2
11. Northwestern 40-16 295 11
12. Fresno State 54-13 252 15
13. Tennessee 50-16 230 17
14. California 43-27 203 14
15. Washington 30-25-1 200 RV
16. Houston 54-11 188 12
17. LSU 44-18 179 19
18. DePaul 51-18 166 21
19. Missouri 47-17 165 16
20. Long Beach St. 42-16 120 22
21. North Carolina 50-12-1 107 25
22. Nevada 44-18 95 20
23. Georgia 46-24 89 18
24. UMass 42-12 86 23
25. Virginia Tech 49-19 55 8

Parenthesis Denotes first place votes.


Dropped Out from 2008 Postseason Poll: San Diego State


Others receiving votes: Mississippi State (20), San Diego State (19), Iowa (13), South Florida (12), Hawaii (10), Purdue (7), Oregon State (5), Kansas (4), Nebraska (4), Notre Dame (4), Texas (4), Creighton (3), Georgia Tech (3), Hofstra (3), Baylor (2), East Carolina (2), Jacksonville State (2), Oklahoma State (2), Oregon (2) and BYU (1).

[MiamiCajun32]

hard to believe only one team dropped out of poll from end last year.

[El Sidonio]

I cannot wait (knock on wood and makes sign of the cross) for the Lady Cajuns to dominate in softball this year. I'm so friggin excited about this season, and hope to make as many games as possible. bring it on ole miss!

God Bless

GEAUX UL RAGIN CAJUNS SOFTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NewsCopy]

  NEW ORLEANS-The Sun Belt Conference announced their 2009 Preseason Softball Poll and Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns were the unanimous first place selection. Also announced were the 2009 Preseason All-Conference selections. The Cajuns placed five players on the list, including Ashley Brignac who was dubbed the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

The preseason All-Conference team was comprised of 11 players as voted on by the league’s nine head coaches.

The defending SBC Champion Cajuns’ placed Lana Bowers (catcher), Brignac (pitcher), Vallie Gaspard (designated player), Karli Hubbard (outfield) and Katie Smith (second base) on the team.

Brignac also claimed the conference’s top pitching honor, being dubbed Preseason pitcher of the Year. FIU’s Kim Rodriguez took home the Player of the Year distinction.

Five schools placed players on the list with the Cajuns leading all teams with five selections. Troy and Western Kentucky both placed two players apiece on the team, while Florida Atlantic and FIU each had one honoree.

Bowers was a First Team All-Sun Belt Conference last season. She boasted a .261 batting average with 55 hits on the year including 11 doubles, a triple and nine home runs. Bowers scored 31 runs and had 49 RBI. The catcher had three hits in the NCAA Super Regional including a three-run home run to propel the Cajuns to a 6-4 game one victory.

Brignac lived up to the hype in her rookie campaign. In her first season with the Cajuns, she was named NFCA All-South Region, Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-Sun Belt, Sun Belt Tournament MVP, Louisiana Pitcher of the Year and All-Louisiana. Brignac finished the season nationally ranked in ERA, strikeouts per seven innings, victories and hits allowed per seven innings. She posted seven wins and a save over ranked opponents – Wins: No. 23 North Carolina; No. 3 Texas A&M; No. 9 Houston; No. 15 LSU; No. 10 Houston; No. 10 Houston; No. 1 Florida. Save: No. 15 LSU. She had 17 games with double-digit strikeouts with a season-best 15 strikeouts in UL’s victory over No. 1 Florida at the Women’s College World Series.

Gaspard earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference and All-Louisiana honors last season. She boasted a .404 batting average and had just 13 strikeouts in 151 official at bats and 173 plate appearances. Gaspard’s batting average did not dip below .400 on the year after becoming a starter. In SBC games, she batted .466 with 34 hits and a team-best 26 runs scored.

Hubbard enters the year as a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference honoree and was also named All-Louisiana in 2008. Hubbard was third on the Cajuns squad with a .389 batting average and boasted a .434 on base percentage with 74 hits to her credit. In Sun Belt Conference games only, she was second on the team with a .478 batting average. Defensively, she recorded several diving catches robbing batters of extra bases, including robbing South Alabama of a grand slam; an inning-ending diving grab against Troy; and a game-ending diving catch at No. 10 Houston in the NCAA Super Regionals.

Smith was All-Louisiana in 2008, boasting a .370 batting average, playing in the outfield. She led the team with eight sacrifice bunts and 20 stolen bases. Smith collected 60 hits on the year with 19 walks for a .440 on base percentage. She scored 39 runs on the season while driving in nine. In the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, she was second on the team, hitting .444, going 4-for-9 with a pair of runs scored, a walk and an RBI. Smith had a .400 batting average in Sun Belt Conference play.

RaginCajuns.com



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[Tiredof theBS]

The defending SBC Champion Cajuns’ placed Lana Bowers (catcher), Brignac (pitcher), Vallie Gaspard (designated player), Karli Hubbard (outfield) and Katie Smith (second base) on the team.

Wow! And at the end of the year you will have to add Bridges, Bourgeois, Runyon, and perhaps Cuevas to that list!!!

Watch for Gabby to have a break out year! She's one of the best and I'm picking her for All-American this season! Cody has something to prove, and she wants a ring before she leaves UL so that means she's going to get it this year! Brignac is great, but by the end of this year UL may prove that they have the three best pitchers in the nation ALL ON ONE TEAM.

Geaux Cajuns!

[LuLu]

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.Somebody is FORGETTING Melissa Verde!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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[Clutch0364]

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.Somebody is FORGETTING Melissa Verde!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I know I never forget about Ms. Verde

[lcitsh]

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.Somebody is FORGETTING Melissa Verde!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/
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Here's hoping the Cajun's opponents take her for granted also.

[Square Head]

Katie Smith is playing second base? She played outfield last year. I Thought her speed did her well last year in the outfield.

[BeauCajun]

_ Katie Smith is playing second base? She played outfield last year. I Thought her speed did her well last year in the outfield. _

Yep, need her speed at 2B. We'll will be in the OF if she stays at 2B.

[angellebertrand]

So if Smith is 2B who will play RF?