Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team’s coaching staff has been named the 2010 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaching Staff of the Year for the Central Region, the Association announced on Wednesday.

Co-head coaches Michael and Stefni Lotief, along with assistant coach Chris Malveaux, led Cajuns to a record of 45-18 this season and a final ranking of 16 in the NFCA Top-25 poll. UL captured both the Sun Belt regular season and tournament championships, marking the third straight season that they claimed both titles. It was the ninth regular season and 10^th tournament title for the program since joining the league in 2000.

UL then won the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, which included then No. 17 LSU and No. 20 Texas A&M to advance to the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional for the second time in three years.

It is the second honor this season for the Lotiefs who were named the Sun Belt’s Co-Coach of the Year at conference tournament.

The Cajuns were led this season by first-team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region selections Vallie Gaspard and Christi Orgeron and second-team selection Donna Bourgeois.

UCLA’s coaching staff earned top honors as the National Coaching Staff of the Year en route to claiming the 2010 Women’s College World Series.