Elkins and Landry Among Top 50 to Watch in 2016

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball standouts Lexie Elkins and Shellie Landry, both All-Americans in 2015, were included among the 50 players that comprised the "Watch List" for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced on Wednesday.

Now in its 15th year, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, given by the National Governing Body for softball in the United States, recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country.

The Top 25 Finalists for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 13. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 11 and the Top 3 announced May 25. The 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year winner will be revealed May 31.

Click here for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year "Watch List"

Elkins, named to the watch list for the second straight season, was a Top 26 finalist for the 2015 award. Landry received a nod on the watch list for the first time in her career.

"Shellie and Lexie are both well deserving of this recognition," Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief said. "Everybody is aware of their productivity at the plate and their power, but what people may not know is how hard they work, how fiercely competitive they are, and how they deeply care for those around them and invest in their teammates development and growth."

A first team All-America choice and reigning NFCA/Diamond Sports Division I Catcher of the Year, Elkins generated a school-record 32 home runs in 2015, which led all levels of collegiate softball. The two-time reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year has developed into one of the nation's top power hitters, belting 56 home runs the past two seasons.

Landry picked up the first All-American honor of her career and was a first team All-Sun Belt selection for the second straight season 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.

"They understand that excellence goes beyond softball," Lotief stressed. "Both of them excel in the classroom and involve themselves in our community.

"We are blessed to have Lexie and Shellie's leadership on our team and in our community," Lotief added. "There is no doubt in my mind that they are the 'best of the best' in college athletics."

The preseason "Watch List" includes 25 seniors, 15 juniors and 10 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 35 NCAA Division I universities and 15 athletic conferences.

Louisiana is one of 12 schools to have at least two student-athlete representatives on the "Watch List", joining Alabama, Auburn, California, Florida, Georgia, James Madison, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and UCLA.

Previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, are UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013), Florida State's Lacey Waldrop (2014) and Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015).

In addition to bestowing the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, ASA/USA Softball produces the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week, which are announced Tuesdays during the regular season. The pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll was released Jan. 26 with Louisiana ranked No. 11.

The 11th-ranked 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).

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Players Mentioned

Lexie Elkins

Shellie Landry