The Book 2009 LAdy Cajuns Softball

[Bankruptcyman]

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

Glad to hear a St. Landry Parish athlete (Beau Chene H.S.) is doing so well!

[NewsCopy]

  We close the week by entering the Top 10 of our college softball preseason countdown, giving me an opportunity to zoom in a little on one particularly cool story.

10. Louisiana-Lafayette

Last season: 52-15 (Lost to Alabama in the Women's College World Series)

Preseason talking point: Louisiana-Lafayette was one of the best-kept secrets in softball last season, at least up to the point where the unseeded Ragin' Cajuns bused all the way to Oklahoma City and stunned top-seeded Florida in the opening game of the Women's College World Series.

After tearing her ACL last March, Melissa Verde chose rehab over surgery and returned to play.

Sneaking up on the competition won't be an option this season. I thought No. 10 was a pretty strong reflection of confidence in the reigning Sun Belt champions, but the NFCA's preseason top 25 poll did that a few spots better, slotting them in at No. 6.

The rest of the story

Posted by Graham Hays

[NewsCopy]

  OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has selected its initial “Watch List” for the 8th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award.

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball’s Ashley Brignac was named to the initial watch list.

Brignac, a sophomore from River Ridge, La., lived up to the hype in her rookie campaign, leading the Cajuns in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, appearances, starts and opponent batting average. She was named Second Team NFCA All-South Region, Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-Sun Belt Conference, Sun Belt Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Louisiana Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Louisiana. Brignac finished the year ranked in the NCAA in ERA, strikeouts per seven innings, victories and hits allowed per seven innings.

This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, Florida State’s Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s Monica Abbott and Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher.

The 2009 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 32 schools and 13 different NCAA Division I Conferences.

The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 1. A player does not have to appear on the initial watch list to be considered as a top 25 finalist. However, once the top 25 finalists are named the winner of the award will come from that list. *Freshman qualify for the top 25 list once they have competed at the collegiate level.

Just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 6. The final three finalists will be announced May 20 while the winner of the 2009 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

RaginCajuns.com

[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!