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Ragin' Cajuns, Elkins Top Choice in Preseason SBC Picks
1/26/2016 2:35:00 PM | Softball
LAFAYETTE - The 11th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team was selected as the favorite to finish atop the 2016 Sun Belt Conference standings and senior catcher Lexie Elkins was chosen as the Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year in the preseason picks voted on by the conference's nine head coaches and released on Tuesday.
Louisiana, which finished the 2015 campaign with a 42-12 record and claimed its 13th Sun Belt Conference regular season championship in the 15 years of league competition since 2001, returns all but one of the nine hitters from its 2015 starting lineup that produced a school-record 116 home runs.
The Ragin' Cajunsreceived eight of the possible nine first place votes in the SBC's preseason poll and with 98 total points eclipsed No. 25 South Alabama, which had one first place vote and 90 points, for top billing.
"Our players and fans understand that awards and honors are not given based on a preseason vote, they are earned on the field through hard work and even some ups and downs," Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief said. "Our conference is consistently in the top tier in RPI and has so many great players.
"We know other teams will give us their best shot and we will be pushed and exposed, week in and week out. We are excited and ready for the challenge."
Elkins is the two-time reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, having won the award in the 2014 and 2015 season. The Victoria, Texas, native generated a school-record 32 home runs in 2015, which led all levels of collegiate softball.
Elkins will attempt to become the first player in Ragin' Cajuns and Sun Belt history to claim player of the year honors in a third straight season.
A first team All-America choice and reigning NFCA/Diamond Sports Division I Catcher of the Year, Elkins was the frontrunner at catcher on the preseason All-Sun Belt team. TeammatesKelsey Vincent (first base), Haley Hayden (second base), DJ Sanders (shortstop) and Shellie Landry (outfield) joined Elkins on the preseason All-SBC squad.
"All of our players are so deserving to be recognized because of how hard they work on the field and in the classroom - individual honors are not our top focus or priority," Lotief said. "But when the spotlight shines on one it really tells the bigger story of the role that so many individuals play in that players' development including fans, professors, family and staff."
Vincent, a member of the All-Sun Belt squad the past two seasons and first team selection at first base in 2015, posted personal single-season bests in average (.308), hits (44), home runs (18), RBI (40), slugging percentage (.755) and extra base hits (28) last season. She led all SBC first basemen in home runs and ranked second with 13 home runs in conference play (trailed only Elkins).
Named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team for a second straight season in 2015, earning the nod at second base, Hayden reached 60 runs, 60 hits and 50 RBI for the second straight year. The West Monroe product registered a team-high 20 multiple-hit games, collecting three-plus hits six times, and ranked third on the team with 16 multiple-RBI games.
Sanders led all Sun Belt Conference shortstops in fewest errors committed with only eight in 157 chances as a freshman in 2015. She competed internationally in the World Cup of Softball and Junior Women's World Championship (JWWC) as a member of 2015 U.S. Junior Women's National Team (JWNT) this past summer and recently attended the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team (WNT) Selection Camp.
Landry was an All-Sun Belt first team selection for the second straight year - picking up her third career all-conference award (second team in 2013) - in 2015. She saw 37 of her 64 hits go for extra bases (58 percent), generated 18 multi-hit and 18 multi-RBI games and ranked Top 50 nationally in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.
The Ragin' Cajuns start the 2016 season Feb. 12-14 at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., then make their Lamson Park debut in the Louisiana Classics Feb. 19-21, beginning the tournament with a 2 p.m., doubleheader against Oregon on Feb. 19.
Season tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased via phone at (337) 265-2100, online at RaginCajuns.com or by visiting the Cajundome Box Office in-person Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and extended hours during Ragin' Cajuns basketball events.
For more information on Ragin' Cajuns softball, fans can follow along with the team on Facebook (/RaginCajunSoftball) and Twitter (@RaginCajunSB).
2016Preseason SunBelt Conference Coaches Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Louisiana (8) - 98 pts
2. South Alabama (1) - 90 pts
3. Georgia State - 74 pts
4. Texas State - 71 pts
5. Troy - 66 pts
6. ULM - 56 pts
7. UT Arlington - 46 pts
8. Georgia Southern - 38 pts
9. Appalachian State - 28 pts
2016 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
P: Devin Brown, South Alabama, Sophomore
P: Randi Rupp, Texas State, Sophomore
C: Lexie Elkins, Louisiana, Senior
1B: Kelsey Vincent, Louisiana, Senior
2B: Haley Hayden, Louisiana, Junior
SS: DJ Sanders, UL Lafayette, Sophomore
3B: Emily Messer, South Alabama, Senior
OF: Stephanie Pilkington, South Alabama, Senior
OF: Shellie Landry, Louisiana, Senior
OF: Rochelle Roberts, UL Monroe, Junior
DP: Mya Anderson, UT Arlington, Senior
At-Large: Ivie Drake, Georgia State, C, Sophomore
At-Large: Kendall Wiley, Texas State, 1B, Senior
At-Large: Taylor Anderson, Georgia State, SS, Senior
At-Large: Taylor Rogers, Georgia Southern, OF, Junior
Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year
Lexie Elkins, Louisiana, C, Senior
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Randi Rupp, Texas State, P, Sophomore
#GeauxCajuns
Louisiana, which finished the 2015 campaign with a 42-12 record and claimed its 13th Sun Belt Conference regular season championship in the 15 years of league competition since 2001, returns all but one of the nine hitters from its 2015 starting lineup that produced a school-record 116 home runs.
The Ragin' Cajunsreceived eight of the possible nine first place votes in the SBC's preseason poll and with 98 total points eclipsed No. 25 South Alabama, which had one first place vote and 90 points, for top billing.
"Our players and fans understand that awards and honors are not given based on a preseason vote, they are earned on the field through hard work and even some ups and downs," Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief said. "Our conference is consistently in the top tier in RPI and has so many great players.
"We know other teams will give us their best shot and we will be pushed and exposed, week in and week out. We are excited and ready for the challenge."
Elkins is the two-time reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, having won the award in the 2014 and 2015 season. The Victoria, Texas, native generated a school-record 32 home runs in 2015, which led all levels of collegiate softball.
Elkins will attempt to become the first player in Ragin' Cajuns and Sun Belt history to claim player of the year honors in a third straight season.
A first team All-America choice and reigning NFCA/Diamond Sports Division I Catcher of the Year, Elkins was the frontrunner at catcher on the preseason All-Sun Belt team. TeammatesKelsey Vincent (first base), Haley Hayden (second base), DJ Sanders (shortstop) and Shellie Landry (outfield) joined Elkins on the preseason All-SBC squad.
"All of our players are so deserving to be recognized because of how hard they work on the field and in the classroom - individual honors are not our top focus or priority," Lotief said. "But when the spotlight shines on one it really tells the bigger story of the role that so many individuals play in that players' development including fans, professors, family and staff."
Vincent, a member of the All-Sun Belt squad the past two seasons and first team selection at first base in 2015, posted personal single-season bests in average (.308), hits (44), home runs (18), RBI (40), slugging percentage (.755) and extra base hits (28) last season. She led all SBC first basemen in home runs and ranked second with 13 home runs in conference play (trailed only Elkins).
Named to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team for a second straight season in 2015, earning the nod at second base, Hayden reached 60 runs, 60 hits and 50 RBI for the second straight year. The West Monroe product registered a team-high 20 multiple-hit games, collecting three-plus hits six times, and ranked third on the team with 16 multiple-RBI games.
Sanders led all Sun Belt Conference shortstops in fewest errors committed with only eight in 157 chances as a freshman in 2015. She competed internationally in the World Cup of Softball and Junior Women's World Championship (JWWC) as a member of 2015 U.S. Junior Women's National Team (JWNT) this past summer and recently attended the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team (WNT) Selection Camp.
Landry was an All-Sun Belt first team selection for the second straight year - picking up her third career all-conference award (second team in 2013) - in 2015. She saw 37 of her 64 hits go for extra bases (58 percent), generated 18 multi-hit and 18 multi-RBI games and ranked Top 50 nationally in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.
The Ragin' Cajuns start the 2016 season Feb. 12-14 at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala., then make their Lamson Park debut in the Louisiana Classics Feb. 19-21, beginning the tournament with a 2 p.m., doubleheader against Oregon on Feb. 19.
Season tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased via phone at (337) 265-2100, online at RaginCajuns.com or by visiting the Cajundome Box Office in-person Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and extended hours during Ragin' Cajuns basketball events.
For more information on Ragin' Cajuns softball, fans can follow along with the team on Facebook (/RaginCajunSoftball) and Twitter (@RaginCajunSB).
2016Preseason SunBelt Conference Coaches Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Louisiana (8) - 98 pts
2. South Alabama (1) - 90 pts
3. Georgia State - 74 pts
4. Texas State - 71 pts
5. Troy - 66 pts
6. ULM - 56 pts
7. UT Arlington - 46 pts
8. Georgia Southern - 38 pts
9. Appalachian State - 28 pts
2016 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
P: Devin Brown, South Alabama, Sophomore
P: Randi Rupp, Texas State, Sophomore
C: Lexie Elkins, Louisiana, Senior
1B: Kelsey Vincent, Louisiana, Senior
2B: Haley Hayden, Louisiana, Junior
SS: DJ Sanders, UL Lafayette, Sophomore
3B: Emily Messer, South Alabama, Senior
OF: Stephanie Pilkington, South Alabama, Senior
OF: Shellie Landry, Louisiana, Senior
OF: Rochelle Roberts, UL Monroe, Junior
DP: Mya Anderson, UT Arlington, Senior
At-Large: Ivie Drake, Georgia State, C, Sophomore
At-Large: Kendall Wiley, Texas State, 1B, Senior
At-Large: Taylor Anderson, Georgia State, SS, Senior
At-Large: Taylor Rogers, Georgia Southern, OF, Junior
Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year
Lexie Elkins, Louisiana, C, Senior
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Randi Rupp, Texas State, P, Sophomore
#GeauxCajuns
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