Athletics: National Letters of Intent – Golf -1, Softball-6,Soccer-5,M Tennis-1,Golf-1,MBB-3,VB-2
RAGIN’ CAJUNS ANNOUNCE ADDITION OF DIBILDOX TO GOLF TEAM
Updated 12/7/2018
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns golf coach Theo Sliman completed his 2019 signing class on Friday as he announced the addition of Mexican Junior National Team member Jose Dibildox to a National Letter of Intent.
Dibildox, a native of Saltillo, Mexico, has been one of the top regional players in Mexico over the past 12 years. The 6-foot-4 golfer, who joins Lafayette native Matt Weber to the 2019 class, represented Mexico on the junior circuit, including the U.S. Kids Championship, the Junior World Championships, the AJGA Open and Junior America’s Cup.
In 2018, Dibildox recorded 12 top-10 finishes which included a pair of victories and six second-place finishes.
Dibildox, who started playing golf at the age of four, won his first tournament at the age of five and claimed his first amateur title at 15. Dibildox recorded three hole-in-ones during his golf career, with one on the par-4, 328-yard 15th hole at Club Campestre de Saltillo.
SLIMAN THOUGHTS
“We are extremely excited that Jose has chosen to join our program and pursue his academic and athletic career here for the University of Louisiana. Jose comes in with strong credentials and a seasoned resume as he has competed on a national scene during his junior golf career as well as represented his country of Mexico on the national team. Jose has a resume that is filled with low scores and multiple wins, the one thing you cannot see on his resume is his desire to compete and his high ceiling. It has been an absolute joy getting to know Jose and the beautiful Dibildox family: Jose Sr. (father), Monica (mother) and his sister, Monica, during the recruiting process. Jose will complete our signing class for 2019 and we are extremely eager to have him on campus in August.”
DIBILDOX QUOTES
“I am excited to become a Ragin’ Cajun, looking forward to playing for coach Theo Sliman and (assistant) coach Derek Plucienski. This is a great golf team that has a great golf program, with goals of becoming the best team in the nation. It is an honor to represent the University.
“I want to thank my family and everyone who supported me during this process, and I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life. Geaux Cajuns!”
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Softball Adds Six for 2020 During Signing Period – other NLT follows below.
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco announced on Wednesday the signing of six student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2020 season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns signed Taylor Fawcett (Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle HS), Madison Garay (Bay City, Texas/Bay City HS), Sydnee Hebert (Dayton, Texas/Dayton HS), Kylie Neel (Richmond, Texas/Foster HS), Taylor Roman (Missouri City, Texas/Ridge Point HS) and Brittni Rufus (Mansfield, Texas/Lake Ridge HS).
"We are extremely pleased with this signing class," Glasco said. "This group allows us to fill our needs by adding a really good mix that includes two right-handed power hitters, one right-handed hitting center fielder with all five tools, and two left-handed hitters one of which has elite speed and the other the ability to develop power.
"In addition, we have added a pitcher in Madison (Garay) who is crafty, spins the ball well and has the ability to mix speeds," Glasco added. "Taylor (Roman) is an elite athlete who combines power and speed as well as any prospect in the country."
Fawcett, a two-time Arizona Class 6A All-Conference and All-Region first team selection, has played in the outfield for Phoenix’s Pinnacle High School. She turned in a .400-plus batting average and posted 40-plus RBI each of the past two seasons. Pinnacle has advanced to the state championship contest all three of Fawcett’s seasons, claiming the title in 2018.
Garay has both hit and pitched for Bay City (Texas) High School in a decorated career that includes 2016 Newcomer of the Year, 2018 District MVP, 2018 Class 4A All-State and 2018 Bay City Tribune All-County MVP honors. As a junior she hit .397 with three home runs and seven doubles and turned in a 22-3 record with a 1.09 ERA and 301 strikeouts in the circle.
A multi-sport athlete at Dayton (Texas) High School, Hebert has competed in volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field. In softball, she has been named the Baytown Sun’s Offensive Player of the Year, Class 5A Region Offensive MVP and Liberty County Athlete of the Week three times. A reigning first team District 21-5A infielder, Hebert has played travel ball for TXFC Fastpitch.
Neel has played third base and outfield during her prep career which began at Cinco Ranch (Texas) High School and continued last year as a junior for Richmond (Texas) Foster High School. She turned in a near .500 average (.476) with 35 RBI in her debut season with Foster HS, landing her first team all-district accolades, and continued the momentum into the summer hitting above .600 with 33 RBI in travel ball with Texas Elite.
Roman, the daughter of former NFL standout Mark Roman, has helped lead Ridge Point (Texas) High School to three consecutive district championships. She was the team leader in home runs during the 2017 season and has received first team all-district honors. An academic all-district honoree, Roman has played both first and third base for Ridge Point all three seasons.
Rufus, a 2018 Fort Worth Star Telegram Preseason Player to Watch, was rated Top 100 by FloSoftball and Extra Innings Softball for the 2019 season. As a junior for Class 6A Lake Ridge (Texas) High School she hit .441 and collected 10 triples, 26 stolen bases and 38 RBI while playing shortstop. Rufus has been an academic all-district and first team all-district award winner each of the past two seasons and was chosen for the 2018 DFW Fastpitch All-Metroplex Team.
"We feel at this time our present roster is extremely solid," Glasco stated. "We want this class to come in and add tools, options and depth early on in their careers."
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Soccer – 11/16 – Followed by M Tennis, Golf, MBB, VB
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Soccer announced the additions of five new members to the squad for the 2019 season, with four signing National Letters of Intent and one committed walk-on, completing the Class of 2019’s early signing period.
Louisiana has added two women from California, one from Texas, one from Mississippi and one from Florida, as the Ragin’ Cajuns look to strengthen the squad going forward across all areas of the pitch.
Rachel Sutter, 5’8", F (Lodi High School, Lodi, Calif.): Sutter brings experience across the pitch, having played several different positions at a high level across her career. She played her club soccer for the San Juan Soccer Club, a part of the Elite Clubs National League, and she was a key cog in SJCC winning the 2017-18 Northwest Division Championship. While at Lodi High School, she was named to All-Team Tri-City Athletic League following both her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Karleen Bedre, 5’6", F (Norco High School, Norco, Calif.): Another versatile player, Bedre has been successful at every level she has played at, including being a member of the Arsenal FC club soccer in the ECNL and a part of Norco High School’s successful program. She has been named to her high school All-Conference and All-Academic teams and is the top goal scorer in Norco High School history. Bedre was a part of three ODP West Region Championships and has been named Offensive MVP at Norco High School.
Wren Blanchette, 5’3", F (Cleburne High School, Cleburne, Texas): Yet another woman who played her club soccer in the ECNL, Blancette was a part of elite Solar Chelsea and has been a four-year starter at the varsity level at Cleburne High School. Named Johnson-County Newcomer of the Year following her freshman season, Blanchette has twice been named First Team All-District and twice named Second Team All-District and All-Country.
Olivia Gelpi, 5’8", MF (Our Lady Academy, Bay St. Louis, Miss.): A force in the midfield, with a high engine that allows her to be a force in the midfield, Gelpi should help Louisiana connect the backline with the final third while maintaining the formation’s shape. She started at the varsity level for five years, making her debut during her eighth-grade year, and she has played her club soccer at Gulf Coast United. Starting the conclusion of her freshman season, Gelpi was named to the All-District Team four-straight seasons and brings a load of experience to the Ragin’ Cajuns midfield.
Brhyde Camron, 5’5", D (Bishop Verot Catholic High School, Fort Myers, Fla.): Camron did not sign an NLI, but has committed as a walk-on for the upcoming season. A member of GPS West on the club level, Camron is a physical defender who is athletic as well and will mark some of the top attacking forwards the Sun Belt Conference has to offer. She is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year at her high school, and she was a part of a Bishop Verot side that reached the High School Final Four.
Men’s Tennis – followed by Golf, MBB, VB – these all posted on 11/15
David Collins, Athletics Communications Assistant
LAFAYETTE – On Thursday, Nov. 15, Louisiana Men’s Tennis and head coach Mark Jeffrey announced the signing of Bulgarian native, Ivailo Keremedchiev to a National Letter of Intent and Keremedchiev plans on joining the Louisiana roster following his graduation in the spring.
Hailing from Sofia, Bulgaria, Keremedchiev, who is a six-foot-one right-hander, has a large amount of experience playing in high leveled competitions. In his last 29 matches he has gone 24-5, all on the International Tennis Federation Junior Circuit and he has ranked as high as No. 386 in the world on the ITF Junior Circuit.
In his most recent tournament, Keremedchiev went 3-1 in singles, winning his three matches in straight sets, advancing to the semifinals of the Santa Marina Junior Cup in Sozopol, Bulgaria. In doubles, at the Santa Marina Junior Cup, Keremedchiev went 4-0 on his way to winning the doubles title, dropping only one set during the four-match stretch.
QUOTEWORTHY:
(Head Coach Mark Jeffrey):
"Ivailo will make an immediate impact here at Louisiana. He really fits in well with our team, and I feel as though Keremedchiev could play in any of the top four positions on our team right away. As we build the team, we are setting the goal of reaching the top of the Sun belt Conference, and myself and Coach [Luc] Godin feel that Keremedchiev will play a vital role next year in helping us reach our goal of winning the conference and making it to the NCAA Tournament."
FOLLOWING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS: Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@RaginCajunsMT) to stay up-to-date with Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Tennis.
Golf
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns golf coach Theo Sliman didn’t have to go far to ink his first recruit for the 2019-20 season as he announced on Thursday that Lafayette native and St. Thomas More product Matt Weber inked a National Letter of Intent.
Rated as the state’s top junior golfer, Weber was named to the All-State team during the past three seasons while finishing as the runner-up in the LGA State Amateur, held this past summer at Oakbourne Country Club.
Weber claimed top honors at the GSPGA Big "I" Championship, placed third overall at the 69th Future Masters, fourth at the Louisiana Junior Championships and was 16th overall at the Southern Junior.
Sliman’s Thoughts
"We are extremely excited that Matt has chosen to continue his academic and athletic endeavors here at our University. Matt is the epitome of what we look for in a student-athlete to help continue the success of this program. He excels both on the golf course and in the classroom, which is a testament to his dedication and disciplined work ethic. Matt has accomplished a lot in junior golf coming in as the No. 1 recruit in Louisiana and will just continue to grow and develop as a college golfer with a huge ceiling. It has been an absolute joy recruiting Matt and getting to know is family, Melanie and Todd over the past few years. Matt comes from a great family and we are excited and anxious to have him join our family this August."
Weber Quotes
"I am excited to become a Ragin’ Cajun and follow in my parent’s footsteps. I am looking forward to playing for Coach Theo Sliman and Coach Derek Plucienski in addition to representing the University. Also, I would like to thank my family, friends, and members of the community for all the support they have given me. Geaux Cajuns!"
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Men’s Basketball 11/15/2018
State’s top-rated high school prospect to remain in-state; Florida, Texas prospects added
Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball coach Bob Marlin announced on Wednesday the addition of three players, including the No. 1-rated high school prospect in the state of Louisiana, to a National Letter of Intent for the 2019-20 season.
Inking with the Ragin’ Cajuns on the first day of the National Signing Period are combo guard Mylik Wilson (Rayville, La./Rayville HS), guard Javonne Lowery (Pearland, Texas/Pearland HS) and forward Chris Spenkuch (Miami, Fla./Miami Norland HS).
"We’re very excited to add three young men to our Ragin’ Cajuns basketball family," Marlin said. "All three of them bring length, athleticism and great academics to our program. We look forward to having them join our program and contribute immediately."
Wilson, a four-star prospect and the No. 1-ranked player by Rivals.com, averaged 18 points, five rebounds and eight assists as a junior, leading Rayville HS to a perfect 36-0 record. The 2018 Class 2A Player of the Year played summer basketball on the EYBL circuit for Woodz Elite where he averaged 12 points and three rebounds per game.
"Mylik is an athletic combo guard with a great wing span and is the top-ranked player in the 2019 class," Marlin said. "He is disruptive on defense, rebounds at a high level and can score in a variety of ways."
Lowery, a 6-foot-4 guard, averaged 14 points, five rebounds and two assists as a junior at Pearland High School. Lowrey played summer basketball for Basketball University on the Adidas Gold Gauntlet circuit, averaging 10 points per game while shooting 45-percent from behind the 3-point line.
"Javonne is a great definition of a student-athlete," Marlin said. "He’s a highly athletic win from the Houston area with versatility and a proven record of being an excellent student. His ability to shoot the ball and defend at a high level is something we look forward to mixing in with our group. We are excited about his upside as a player and welcome him to our family."
Spenkuch, who was named the District 15-7A Preseason Player of the Year, averaged 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds at Miami Norland High School.
"Chris is a left-handed combo forward, who has good ball skills, runs the floor well and is a good finisher on the break," Marlin said. "He is a very good passer and is an excellent student who turned down some offers from the Ivy League. He has a very high basketball IQ – similar to Bryce Washington – and has athleticism reminiscent of (current Ragin’ Cajun) JaKeenan Gant. We look forward to having him in our basketball family."
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2019-20 LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS BASKETBALL SIGNING CLASS
Javonne Lowery – G | 6-3 | 175 | Pearland, Texas/Pearland HS
Chris Spenkuch – F | 6-7, 195 | Miami, Fla./Miami Norland HS
Mylik Wilson – G | 6-3 | 175 | Rayville, La./Rayville HS
Volleyball 11/15/2018
Texas high school products Kara Barnes and Celeste Darling sign with Louisiana
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Volleyball head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot announced on Wednesday the signing of two student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent for the 2019 season.
Signing with the Ragin’ Cajuns is middle blocker Kara Barnes (Rowlett, Texas/Sachse HS) and outside/right side hitter Celeste Darling (McKinney, Texas/Boyd HS).
Barnes, recently named the District 10-6A MVP for Sachse (Texas) High School, compiled 1,026 kills and 275 blocks during her prep career. A 5’11" right-handed hitting middle blocker, she helped lead the Mustangs to four straight playoff appearances and the 2018 district title.
Barnes received district offensive player of the year honors in 2016 and 2017, was the district’s blocks leader during the same timeframe and was the 2018 Sachse High Triple Crown Winner for Athletics.
"Kara is a quick middle with an explosive, fast arm," Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. "She will definitely add to our power and speed in the middle."
Darling competed in 120 matches for McKinney (Texas) Boyd High School, and landed 412 kills on a .286 hitting percentage in her final season with the Broncos. Her prep career-ending stat line also included 68 blocks and 83 digs.
Standing at 6-foot tall, Darling was a 2016 and 2017 honorable mention all-district selection and three-time academic all-district award recipient. She helped lead Boyd HS to title at the Circle of Champions tournament in her sophomore and senior seasons.
"Celeste adds size and depth to our outside hitting group," Mazeitis-Fontenot stated. "She is a lanky, versatile attacker with a high volleyball IQ.
"They’re members of the same club team (Skyline Juniors Volleyball). I’m excited they’ll have the opportunity to compete together on the collegiate level."
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