I have my concerns as I do with all Cajuns sports. When the big boys (and girls) start throwing money around it’s nearly impossible for us to compete on a national level. It’s no coincidence that the year a school threw 1 million at a pitcher is the same year we didn’t make a regional for the first time in almost 30 years. But I am glad to hear we will fund all scholarships but definitely need more money raised on all fronts.
I don’t think anyone has suggested program is dead. But having concerns we can continue as a perennial NCAA regional/top 20 program, with this new era of college athletics, is understandable.
Except for the coincidence that the school that threw $1mm at a pitcher was the same school that hired our coach and took our #2 pitcher and our starters at C, 1B, 2B and CF, that particular fact had nothing to do with our decline. Our decline was a direct result of those 5 players leaving, along with our 3B and #1 pitcher. Had our coach not left, all 7 of those players would have stayed here.
Why would Marceaux leave Alabama? Other than being homesick, she is in a postion to start at 2B next year. Hawkins will stay at SS and Hubbard will more than likely stay at 3B. That leaves 2B for Marceaux. Murphy values upperclassmen over Freshmen unless the freshman is swinging a hot stick that he can't keep them out of the lineup.
Until they see the zeros written on the NIL check and then everything changes. I'm more worried about losing Wheeler than I am Smith. Not too many pitchers out there throwing 68 right now. Sam Landry is night and day from her time with the Cajuns and what she is now with OU. Don't think there isn't a P4 coach out there telling himself that they can coach Wheeler up to be a real contributor. I don't like the way the system is currently set up but I can't blame a player for leaving a program if it makes too much financial sense not to do it. While admirable, loyalty doesn't pay the car note or pay the rent.