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Early Signings: 2 M Basketball, 2 Volleyball, 8 Softball, 5W Basketball, 5 Baseball, 1 GolfW Basketball added 11/29
Origianlly posted on 11/14 – Baseball added on 11/15 and M Basketball added on 11/16 * * * * * *
Women’s Basketball Announces Final Early Signee for 2013-14
LAFAYETTE, La. — The Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball program and first-year coach Garry Brodhead added another in-state signee in Gabby Alexander from Bogalusa High School.
"We knew right away when looking at Gabby that she was a big time player that we wanted,” said head coach Garry Brodhead. “It is exciting to add such a versatile player like her to our program. Her ability to score and rebound and play multiple positions will be a huge boost in building this program." Alexander, a 5-11 forward, earned All-Washington Parish first team and All-District 8-3A first team as a junior after averaging 20 points, nine assists, nine rebounds, and four steals per game. BallNPrepGirls.com ranks her as the state’s No. 5 senior prospect. She also played AAU ball for the Louisiana Lady Heat. Alexander will join fellow Louisiana Top 10 prospects Jaylyn Gordon, Jeremica Edwards, and Jodi Quinn as well as Texas native Melody Williams in the 2013 recruiting class. — Ragin’ Cajuns —
Cajuns Add Jackson & Register During Signing Period LAFAYETTE, La. — Already off to a 1-0 start to the 2012-13 season, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball team added a pair of victories as Kimani Jackson (Arlington, TX/Seguin) and Hayward Register (Lafayette, La./Comeaux) have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Louisiana and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2013. Head coach Bob Marlin made the announcement on Friday. The NCAA early signing period runs Nov. 14-21. “This is a very good start to our recruiting effort for the year,” Louisiana head coach Bob Marlin said. “With such a young team this year, we had very few areas where we needed to add youth and the signing of Kimani and Hayward fills two of those spots. “Kimani will help us to improve on our size and depth in the post while Hayward gives us another perimeter scorer,”Marlin added. Jackson, a 6-7, 220-pound forward, was a pre-season all-league selection this year. He is averaging 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists and 1.8 blocks this season at Arlington’s Seguin High. Ranked as the No. 88 player in the State of Texas by TexasHoops.com, Jackson played his junior year at Plano West High, helping the team to a 26-9 record and a second place district finish. Jackson plays for former Cajun Bobby Thigpen (1989-92) on a team that had three players sign letters of intent this week. “Kimani is a post player who can play inside out and should be a physical presence in the post for us,” Marlin said. “We think that he is still growing so 6-7 could become 6-8 or 6-9 and he has the type of frame that will allow him to fill out.” Register, a 6-2, 170-pound shooting guard, earned second team all-state honors a year ago after averaging 20.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a game, helping Comeaux High to a 23-11 record. Named the 2011-12 All-Acadiana MVP by the Lafayette Daily Advertiser and the district MVP, scoring a season-high 37 points against Westgate in the regional semi-finals of the state tourney. “Hayward is a natural scorer who has the quickness to get himself to the basket and shooting range to score from the perimeter,” Marlin said. “We also believe that he has the potential to develop into a good defensive player as well.” “It is important to the program that we annually bring the best players from the Acadiana area into the program, and Hayward has the tools necessary to excel.” The addition of Jackson and Register leave the Cajuns with one scholarship opening for next year. The Cajuns opened the 2012-13 season with a 90-79 win over Oakland on Sunday and will play at Texas Southern on Friday (Nov. 16) at 7:00 p.m. Brian McCann Golf:
Golf Inks Cruz Valle To 2013-14 Class
LAFAYETTE, La. – Head golf coach Theo Sliman announced the signing of Fernando Cruz Valle to the 2013-14 Ragin’ Cajuns golf class on Thursday.
“I am extremely excited about the addition of Fernando. He is exactly the type of athlete we are looking to build this program around. He is a smart athlete who is strong mentally.
“He is going to bring a dynamic to this team that we are looking for every year. Fernando is certainly a team player. He has the pedigree of a big time collegiate golfer when you look at his junior year stroke average around 74 and his ranking in the AJGA.”
Cruz Valle currently holds an AJGA Polo national ranking of 108, joining former golfer Andrew Noto as the only two Cajuns to have a junior national ranking.
A native of the Woodlands, Texas, Cruz Valle has posted four top 25 performances in the last year including finishing in a tie for fifth at the Harvey Penick Junior Championship (72-73-77). He also placed in a tie for seventh at the Goodman Networks Junior Championship (73-71-72) and 11th at the Billiard Factory Junior Championships (74-73-78).
Cruz Valle was named the 2012 May Athlete of the Week by the Houston Chronicle after sinking a crucial putt in a playoff to win the Texas 5A State Championships. Individually, Cruz Valle shot 69-72 to finish in 3rd place at the Texas 5A State Championships.
This September Cruz Valle represented Mexico at the sixth annual Canadian International Junior Challenge where he finished in a tie for 10th.
— Ragin’ Cajuns– — Jeff Schneider Cox Communications Athletics Center Office: (337) 482-6332 Baseball:
Baseball: Ragin’ Cajuns Sign Five to Letters of Intent LAFAYETTE – The Ragin’ Cajuns baseball program added three high school prospects and a pair of junior college products to its 2013-14 recruiting class, head coach Tony Robichaux announced on Thursday. Robichaux and his staff received national letters of intent from Reagan Bazar (Salado, Texas/Salado HS), Riley Cooper (Texas City, Texas/Texas City HS) and Hayden Guidry (Orange, Texas/Bridge City HS) out of the prep ranks. All three will be classified as a freshman during the 2013-14 academic year with four seasons of eligibility. Signing with the Ragin’ Cajuns from the junior college circuit is Greg Davis (DeSoto, Texas/North Central Texas College) and Greg Milhorn (Texarkana, Ark./Northeast Texas CC). Davis and Milhorn will have two seasons of eligibility with the Cajuns starting in 2013-14. The five athletes mark the initial signings that Robichaux and his staff expect in the NCAA’s early signing period which began on Wednesday, Nov. 14 and continues through Wednesday, Nov. 21. “Last year’s signing class priority was heavy on position players,” Robichaux said. “This year our focus was to upgrade in the area of pitching. “(Greg) Davis adds another position player with the ability to be a physical hitter. (Riley) Cooper gives us another quality lefty who has dominated at the high school level and has the ability to pitch as a freshman. (Regan) Bazar, (Hayden) Guidry and (Greg) Milhorn add three quality right-handed pitchers to our pitching staff.” Bazar is a 6-foot-7, 210 pound right-handed pitcher currently prepping at Salado (TX) High. In 2012, he earned all-district honors as a junior finishing 4-1 on the mound with 31 strikeouts in 29 innings of work. Cooper is a 5-foot-9, 150 pound left-handed pitcher currently competing at Houston-area based Texas City High School. In 2012, he was named Galveston County Pitcher of The Year, Galveston Daily News’ Pitcher of the Year, first team all-county and first team all-district after leading Texas City to a return trip to the state playoffs. Cooper finished his junior year with a 1.04 ERA, striking out 67 batters in 47 1/3 innings. He averaged 9.91 strike outs per game and opponents hit a paltry .186 against him. Davis is a 6-foot, 225 pound corner infielder from North Central Texas Community College, the same JUCO program that provided the Cajuns with recent stars Chad Keefer and Jordan Harrison. The sophomore hit .375 last year with 11 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI on his way to being named to the Region 5 North All-Conference team and a Texas Junior College All-Star selection. Davis is a native of DeSoto, Texas, where as a senior in 2011 he earned all-state and district MVP honors and was one of the top hitters in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area (.557 average, nine doubles, triple, six homers, 38 RBI, .924 slugging percentage). Guidry is a 6-foot-2, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Orange, Texas and is currently a member of the Bridge City High School baseball squad. In 2012 he went 9-1 on the mound, striking out 100 while posting a 0.49 ERA in 57 2/3 innings. Guidry was named first team All-District 31-3A, All-KOTG Team Pitcher, All-Orange County Pitcher, first team Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold and was featured on the Top Prospect list at the PerfectGame Sunshine South Showcase. Milhorn is a 6-foot-2 165 pound pitcher at Northeast Texas Community College. The sophomore right-hander spent his freshman season in 2012 at the University of Arkansas before transferring to NETCC. As a freshman with the Razorbacks, Milhorn pitched in three games, including one start, and sported a 3.38 ERA. Milhorn was selected in the 30th round (917th overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers following his senior year at Arkansas High School swhere he was a three-sport star earning Class 6A all-state accolades in football, baseball, and track. The Ragin’ Cajuns baseball program is set to begin the 19th season under the direction of head coach Tony Robichaux in 2013. The Cajuns roster is filled with several newcomers as the team attempts to create a new “identity” to put last season’s 23-30 record behind them. In all, the official 35-man roster features 18 new players. The 2013 regular season opens on Friday, Feb. 15 against Central Michigan. That contest marks the first of 14 straight home games for Louisiana to begin the season. — Ragin’ Cajuns — Volleyball:
Local Product Chanelle Gardner One of Two to Sign With Cajuns LAFAYETTE – Ragin’ Cajuns volleyball head coach Heather Mazeitis-Fontenot announced Wednesday the signing of Chanelle Gardner of nearby St. Martinville High School and Illinois native Jessica Bartczyszyn to a national letter of intent during the NCAA’s early signing period. Both will be freshman with four seasons of eligibility starting in the 2013-14 academic year. “Chanelle is a local kid who can help us get to the next level,” Mazeitis-Fontenot remarked. “She has the size, athleticism and excellent court awareness. “Jessica has fantastic game IQ,” Mazeitis-Fontenot added. “She is athletic and will add to our depth at the setter position.” Gardner helped lead St. Martinville High to the 2012 LHSAA Volleyball Division II championship match on Saturday, Nov. 10 where she paced coach Lucinda Mason’s squad’s efforts netting a match-high 15 kills and throwing up nine blocks. A day earlier, Gardner finished with 16 kills and three blocks in the Tigers’ semifinal win over Breaux Bridge High School. Adding in 21 kills in a quarterfinal win over Lutcher High at the beginning of the state tournament, she ended the three-day event with 52 kills over 11 sets (4.73 kills per set). The state tournament performance was a prime example of the dominance Gardner showed throughout the season. Earlier in the season, she posted 53 kills, two aces, 38 digs and 15 blocks during the NISH/Community First Bank Volleyball Tournament. A member of the 2011 Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Association Division II All-State team, Gardner is also a two-time All-Acadiana pick by The Daily Advertiser and was named the publication’s preseason All-Acadiana MVP for 2012. She was also a two-time All-District choice (2010 & 2011) and is scheduled to play in this weekend’s LHSCA All-Star contest at Newman High School in New Orleans. A 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Gardner played club volleyball for Cajun Elite. Bartczyszyn hails from Chicago-area based Cary, Ill., and is a setter at Cary-Grove High School. The 5-foot-9 product gives the Cajuns additional options at the position given the loss of senior setter Mandi Gavin following the 2012 season. A four-year varsity member at CGHS for head coach Patty Langanis, Bartczyszyn picked up first team all-conference honors and first team all-area honors last season. In her first season as a starter, she served as team captain. Bartczyszyn was named one of the Top 50 players by the Chicago Sun Times prior to the start of the 2012 season. She played club volleyball for Sky High Volleyball. — Ragin’ Cajuns — Matt Hebert Cox Communications Athletics Center Office: (337) 482-6330 Softball: Louisiana Softball Signs Eight for 2013-14 LAFAYETTE, La. – Louisiana’s softball coach Michael Lotief announced Wednesday the signing of eight players to National Letters of Intent for the 2013-14 year. The Ragin’ Cajun’s Class of 2017 will include Louisiana natives Sarah Arceneaux, Aleah Craighton, Haley Hayden, Randi Provost and Kendall Smith, in addition to Lexi Rouse (Georgia), Macey Smith (Texas) and Alexandra Stewart (Indiana).
“The idea is to keep adding kids who understand what it means to be a Ragin Cajun,” head coach Michael Lotief said. “This group represents what we value in this program — strong academically, competitive athletically, and high achievers who foresee greater accomplishments through preparation and hard work. All of these players are big dreamers who know that endless potential and possibilities are at their fingertips and care about making those around them better. The future Ragin’ Cajuns all come from good families and successful programs and we are so excited to welcome them into our family and make them a part of our team.” Sarah Arceneaux helped guide St. Thomas More High School to a 5A State Championship her freshman year and to the state quarterfinals her sophomore season. The middle infielder was named a first team all-state selection in 2012 after batting .531 with four homeruns and 49 RBI’s. Arceneaux plays club ball with the Louisiana Blazers. Aleah Craighton preps at Dutchtown High where she was a first team all-district pitcher and a first team all-metro selection in 2012. Craighton owned a .427 batting average, hit eight homeruns and picked up 28 RBI’s this past season. Randi Provost hails from Loreauville where she was a first-team all-district performer at shortstop for Loreauville High School. Hailing from Houston, Texas, Macey Smith attends Stratford High School. The all-district performer was named newcomer of the year in district 17-4A her sophomore season. — Ragin’ Cajuns —
Louisiana Women’s Hoops Signs Four to 2013 Class LAFAYETTE, La. – The Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball program announced the signing of four senior standouts for the 2013-14 season. The Ragin’ Cajun’s Class of 2017 will include Louisiana natives Jaylyn Gordon (Edgard, La./West St. John HS), Jeremica Edwards (New Orleans, La./Warren Easton HS), and Jodi Quinn (St. Martinville, La./St. Thomas More HS) and Texas native Melody Williams (Fort Worth, Texas/THESA). Gordon, a 5-5 point guard, was a first team all-state, all-district, and district MVP selection as a junior. She averaged 20.1 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals last season to lead her team to the most wins in school history (26). West St. John went on a 19 game winning streak and as a result, made the deepest playoff run in school history, falling in the state semifinals to Tensas. The Cajuns are in their first year under the direction of Brodhead, who was hired on April 2, 2012. This season, Brodhead has led his squad to their first 2-0 start since the 2004-05 season. The Cajuns are next in action Friday at 7 p.m. when they travel to Omaha, Neb. for a game against the University of Nebraska-Omaha. –Ragin’ Cajuns–
Traci Bode Cox Communications Athletics Center Office: (337) 482-6329
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