The Book 2009 LAdy Cajuns Softball

[NewsCopy]

  UL - Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns softball co-head coaches Michael and Stefni Lotief announced their program’s 2009 schedule.

The schedule features over 30 home games, including the three tournaments to be held at the Alfred and Helen Lamson Lady Cajuns softball Park.

The Cajuns, who finished the 2008 season ranked sixth in the nation, will play 12 games against teams that finished the season ranked in the NFCA’s Top 25 or were receiving votes in the final poll. Eleven (11) of the teams on the UL schedule competed in the NCAA Softball Regionals last season, including five teams that were national seeds in the tournament.

UL will host a dozen Sun Belt Conference games in their attempt at their eighth regular season conference title in the past nine years.

“I think we have accomplished our goal of putting together a competitive schedule that will test us,” Michael Lotief commented. “We are looking forward to the upcoming season and I think that it has some great games for the fans that like to come out to Lamson Park and see us play. We continue to try to put together our schedules to bring together the best teams in the country here. We want to play the best.

“We encourage our fans to buy their tickets now and any new fans to come out and support us as we continue to chase our dreams.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns open the season with three consecutive home tournaments. The season is officially kicked off on Feb. 6-8 with the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational. The following weekend, Feb. 13-15, UL will host the 23rd Annual Louisiana Classics. The home tournament schedule will conclude with the Fifth Annual Mardi Gras Invitational on Feb. 20-22.

Louisiana then travels to Columbus, Ga. for the NFCA Leadoff Classic. At the Leadoff, the Cajuns will take on five teams that made the postseason, including three that finished the year nationally ranked.

The Cajuns return to Lafayette on March 4 through March 10 to take on Southern Miss, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech, before heading out to Fullerton, Calif. for the Judi Garman Classic.

Following the Judi Garman Classic, Louisiana returns home for 11 of the next 12 games from March 17 through April 7, including nine Sun Belt Conference games. After back-to-back road conference series, the Cajuns host Troy in a three-game series before hitting the road for six f the final seven games of the year.

The Ragin’ Cajuns close out the home season with a single game on April 28 against Super Regional foe Houston.

The Cajuns ended the year with a 52-15 overall record. The 52 wins marked the ninth time in program history UL has amassed 50-plus wins on the year and the sixth time under the Lotiefs.

UL finished the season with their seventh regular season Sun Belt Conference title; their eighth SBC Tournament championship; their 18th NCAA Regional berth; and their fifth WCWS appearance.

Holly Tankersley, who hit the game-winning home run in the eighth inning against No. 1 Florida in the first game of the WCWS, became the program’s 13th first-team All-American and the 36th All-American overall in school history.

Tankersley, Vanessa Soto and Ashley Brignac were all named to the NFCA All-South Region. Tankersley and Soto both were first team, while the true freshman Brignac was named to the second team.

The Ragin’ Cajuns had seven players named All-Sun Belt Conference on the year, with Tankersley, Soto and Brignac taking Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Pitcher of the Year accolades, respectively.

The Cajuns also swept through the All-Louisiana awards, claiming the Player of the Year (Tankersley), Pitcher of the Year (Brignac), Freshman of the Year (Donna Bourgeois) and Coach of the Year (Stefni Lotief) honors, as well as placing a total of nine players on the team.

RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

  With the start of UL's softball season about six weeks away, there's some good news to report for two Cajuns recovering from injuries after playing vital roles during last season's run to the Women's College World Series.

The rest of the story

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • December 26, 2008

[LuLu]

I wonder why there was no mention of Codi Runyan's return? Will she be back?

[BeauCajun]

_ I wonder why there was no mention of Codi Runyan's return? Will she be back? _

Yep, that is my understanding.

[lcitsh]

_ I wonder why there was no mention of Codi Runyan's return? Will she be back? _

She's fine. While I don't think it's fair to expect her to return to the form she had two years ago, I do expect her to be the starting shortstop this season.

[Parrott]

Michael Lotief told me Codi is expected to start at shortstop, granted she can stay healthy. The biggest question right now is at second base. He said as many as seven players are fighting for the spot.

[NOCajun]

While I'm a bit disappointed that Montana might not play for us, I wish her the best with her graduate studies.

[LuLu]

The biggest question right now is at second base. He said as many as seven players are fighting for the spot. _

Whoa! Seven players????? Who .... SEVEN!

I wonder if Megan Granger was released from Tech and is eligible to play?

[Parrott]

_ Whoa! Seven players????? Who .... SEVEN!

I wonder if Megan Granger was released from Tech and is eligible to play? _

She is included on the most recent roster.

Last season's starting left fielder Katie Smith, Kelly Cormier and incoming recruits Ashley Ray and Heidi Pizer are four of those seven competing for the job at second base.

[LuLu]

_ Last season's starting left fielder Katie Smith, Kelly Cormier and incoming recruits Ashley Ray and Heidi Pizer are four of those seven competing for the job at second base. _

Katie won't be in the field? Wow! She was awesome!

[BeauCajun]

_ Katie won't be in the field? Wow! She was awesome! _

She may be "in" the field. If that happens, then she won't be "out" the field.

[CajunT]

_ Katie won't be in the field? Wow! She was awesome! _

Ashley Ray had a really good fall, watch her closely this spring!