Softball: Sanders Grabs Top Honor, Eight Cajuns Earn All-Sun Belt

Alyssa Denham (Freshman of the Year) and Michael Lotief (Coach of the Year) joined DJ Sanders in receiving top honors

TROY, Ala. – DJ Sanders was named the top player, Alyssa Denham received the highest recognition among freshmen and 15th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball led the way with eight players selected to the 2017 All-Sun Belt Conference Team that was unveiled on Tuesday at the Sun Belt Tournament banquet inside Trojan Arena.
 
Sanders, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, and Denham, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, were selected to the All-Sun Belt First Team along with pitcher Alex Stewart, third baseman Kara Gremillion and outfielders Haley Hayden and Aleah Craighton – giving Louisiana a league-best six first team honorees. Catcher Lexie Comeaux and second baseman Kassidy Zeringue were second-team selections.
 
Head coach Michael Lotief was named the SBC’s Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season – and ninth time in his career – after guiding the No. 15-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns (42-6, 23-1 Sun Belt) to a fourth straight conference championship, 40-win regular season and a record 23 Sun Belt victories.
 
The eight selections to the 2017 squad increased the total number of All-Sun Belt selections in Michael Lotief‘s tenure as head coach (2003-present) to 100 and the program’s All-Sun Belt selections total to 124 (2000-present).
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns turned out six first team performers for the second straight season. Sanders, Craighton and Stewart earned repeat first-team accolades, while Hayden returned to the first team (selected in 2014 and 2015) and picked up her fourth overall SBC all-conference award.
 
Sanders selection as player of the year marks the fourth straight season a Ragin’ Cajun claims the award, continuing a string begun by three-time winner Lexie Elkins (2014-16). Denham joins Brooke Mitchell (2002), Brittany Cuevas (2007) and Jordan Wallace (2012) as Cajuns pitchers to receive freshman of the year honors.
 
Sanders has turned in a stellar season both offensively and defensively. She leads the nation in runs per game, home runs, home runs per game, RBI, RBI per game, total bases and slugging percentage and over half of her hits (55) are home runs (28). Defensively, she committed only one error in Sun Belt play over 72 chances and just six the entire season through 135 total chances.
 
Denham, a Top 25 finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year, owns two wins over Top 5 teams (Alabama, Texas A&M) which includes a two-hit shutout in the series-clincher vs. then-No. 4 Alabama. She led all Sun Belt freshmen pitchers in overall (15) and league victories (7).
 
Stewart (22-3, 1.79 ERA) reached 20 wins, overall, for the second straight season and posted a 15-0 record in Sun Belt play in leading Louisiana to conference championship. She held the opposition to two earned runs or less in 20 of 22 starts and yielded five hits or fewer in all but four starts ranking her Top 40 nationally in fewest hits allowed.
 
Gremillion provides strong presence in the leadoff position, having struck out only 10 times through 193 plate appearances, and has an active streak of 40 consecutive games reaching base (dates back to Feb. 19).
 
Hayden, who has been an anchor on defense at first base (first half) and right field (second half), became the Ragin’ Cajuns all-time runs scored leader and has reached 60 hits for fourth straight year, is two runs shy of fourth 60-run season and posted third season of 50-plus RBI. Craighton has reached double digit home runs and 40 RBI a third straight season and is three RBI shy of back-to-back seasons of 50 RBI.
 
Comeaux and Zeringue received their first career All-Sun Belt recognition. Comeaux, who moved to catcher in January after an injury opened up the position, is hitting .347 and has helped control the opponent’s running game with only 22 stolen base attempts against her. Zeringue has delivered 11 multiple-hit games from the No. 8 spot in the lineup and in her first season in the infield has committed only nine errors over 167 total chances (96 PO, 62 A, 9 E, .946 FLD%).
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns are set to compete for an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament at the SBC Tournament in Troy, Ala., beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 11. All games in the tournament are being broadcast on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app and can be heard over the air of SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM.
 
For more information on Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball, as well as all of Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics, visit RaginCajuns.com. Fans can also follow along with the team on Facebook (/RaginCajunSoftball),Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsSoftball).
 
2017 All-Sun Belt Conference Softball Team
First Team All-Sun Belt
Devin Brown (South Alabama, Junior, P, Graphic Design)
Alyssa Denham (Louisiana, Freshman, P, Kinesiology)
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Junior, P, Management)
Alex Stewart (Louisiana, Senior, P, Mathematics/Finance)
Ivie Drake (Georgia State, Junior, C, Early Childhood Education)
Haley Hayden (Louisiana, Senior, 1B, Exercise Science)
Kaleigh Todd (South Alabama, Junior, 2B, Education)
Becca Hartley (Troy, Senior, SS, Accounting)
Ariel Ortiz (Texas State, Junior, SS, Management)
DJ Sanders (Louisiana, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
Kara Gremillion (Louisiana, Sophomore, 3B, Exercise Science)
Aleah Craighton (Louisiana, Junior, OF, Biology/Pre-Med)
Taty Forbes (Coastal Carolina, Sophomore, OF)
Megan Litumbe (Georgia State, RS Junior, OF, Human Learning and Development)
Emily Snider (Georgia Southern, Senior, OF, Accounting)
 
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Sam Clakley (UTA, Sophomore, P, Kinesiology)
Kinsley Jennings (Georgia State, Junior, P)
Dixie Raley (Georgia Southern, Sophomore, P, Public Relations)
Destin Vicknair (South Alabama, Senior, P, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Lexie Comeaux (Louisiana, Sophomore, C, General Studies)
Aileen Garcia (UTA, Freshman, 1B, Mechanical Engineering)
Sandra Mendoza (UTA, Junior, 2B, Kinesiology)
Kassidy Zeringue (Louisana, Senior, 2B, Exercise Science)
Kristian Foster (South Alabama, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
Kensey Caldwell (Georgia State, Senior, 3B, Human Learning and Development)
Morgan Brown (Georgia State, Senior, OF, Marketing)
Mekhia Freeman (Georgia Southern, Freshman, OF, Human Resource Management)
Sydney McKay (ULM, Sophomore, OF, Accounting)
Amanda Minahan (South Alabama, Senior, OF, Exercise Science)
Krista Rude (UTA, Sophomore, OF, Education)
 
Player of the Year
DJ Sanders (Louisiana, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
 
Pitcher of the Year
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Junior, Management)
 
Freshman of the Year
Alyssa Denham (Louisiana, P, Kinesiology)
 
Newcomer of the Year
Kinsley Jennings (Georgia State, Junior, P)
 
Coach of the Year
Michael Lotief (Louisiana)