"I think she is the best power hitter in the country," said Lotief, who shares coaching duties with wife, Stefni. "And I think she has been (the best) since about midway through her junior year.

"She’s got the numbers to back it up."

Indeed.

Tankersley leads the nationally ranked Cajuns (15-5) in nearly every major offensive category this year coming into today’s doubleheader against IUPUI at Lamson Park. The fifth-year senior from Kirbyville, Texas, leads the team in batting average (.406), hits (26), triples (two), home runs (eight), RBIs (26) and slugging percentage (.875), and has a .479 on-base percentage.

Last weekend, Tankersley hit a team-best .478 (11-for-23) to lead No. 18 UL to a 3-2 showing at the 2008 Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. She went 4-for-6 in two games against then-No. 3 Texas A&M – including a 2-for-3 performance in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Aggies to avenge a 1-0 loss to A&M on Friday.

After her strong week at the plate, Tankersley was named the Sun Belt Conference’s Player of the Week on Monday. She’s also climbing up UL’s record books. With her eighth homer of the season in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Illinois, Tankersley needs one more to tie former Cajun Alana Addison for third in program history with 57 career homers. She’s two shy of tying Lacey Bertucci for second place.

But Tankersley, earlier this year named the most outstanding player at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, does not want to be defined by numbers. Coaches and teammates describe her as someone with a tremendous love and passion for softball.

"Her passion for the game is amazing," said sophomore Melissa Verde, who has known Tankersley for more than 10 years. "She always wants to go hit or work on her game. With the way she is, just being around her makes you want to be a better player."

According to Tankersley, UL helped her become a better person, too. She admits going from a small town in East Texas to a university with an enrollment of more than 17,000 students was a big change for her.

"I was born and raised in a small town of about 2,000 people where you knew everybody," she said. "I went from knowing everybody I went to school with to going to Lafayette and having no clue. It was a real shock for me."

Stefni Lotief said she remembers getting a call from Tankersley on her first day of classes as a freshman and saying, "There are more people on campus then have ever been in my whole town."

But Tankersley made enough adjustments to burst onto the national scene as a freshman in 2004, leading the Sun Belt with 21 homers – the most ever by a Cajun before Danyele Gomez hit 30 in 2005.

Tankersley set the record after homering off USA Softball Player of the Year finalist Alicia Hollowell in a 5-0 win over No. 1 Arizona in the NCAA Regional semifinal in Tucson, Ariz. She was named the Sun Belt’s Freshman of the Year.

During her sophomore year, tragedy struck. Tankersley’s grandmother died after fighting cancer. Tankersley returned home and tried to work through the pain. She eventually redshirted and missed the 2005 season.

"It was very emotional for me," Tankersley said. "My grandmother was my world, and when she died I felt like my life was incomplete. It really took a toll on me."

During her time at home, Tankersley realized she needed to get back up. Living her life and fulfilling her dreams of playing college softball was what her grandmother would have wanted.

Tankersley returned to the field in 2006 and combined for 27 homers and 104 RBIs as a sophomore and junior despite various injuries. And like last year, she’s a Top 25 finalist for National Softball Player of the Year this season.

Looking back, Tankersley said that 2005 was a turning point in her life. And playing softball for the Cajuns has helped make her who she is today.

"Being here and being part of this program has turned me around," she said. "I have matured in so many ways. This program has helped me get there and realize certain things and become who I am now."

After Tankersley’s college career is over, she wants to become a coach and help teach the next generation lessons in softball and in life.

And as far as Michael Lotief is concerned, there’s no debate: Tankersley will be as successful as a coach as she has been as a player.

"I think she will be a great coach," he said. "She understands the game. She loves the game. She knows what it takes to develop someone’s potential."

Tankersley leads the nationally ranked Cajuns (15-5) in nearly every major offensive category this year coming into today’s doubleheader against IUPUI at Lamson Park. The fifth-year senior from Kirbyville, Texas, leads the team in batting average (.406), hits (26), triples (two), home runs (eight), RBIs (26) and slugging percentage (.875), and has a .479 on-base percentage.

Last weekend, Tankersley hit a team-best .478 (11-for-23) to lead No. 18 UL to a 3-2 showing at the 2008 Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas. She went 4-for-6 in two games against then-No. 3 Texas A&M – including a 2-for-3 performance in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Aggies to avenge a 1-0 loss to A&M on Friday.

After her strong week at the plate, Tankersley was named the Sun Belt Conference’s Player of the Week on Monday. She’s also climbing up UL’s record books. With her eighth homer of the season in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Illinois, Tankersley needs one more to tie former Cajun Alana Addison for third in program history with 57 career homers. She’s two shy of tying Lacey Bertucci for second place.

But Tankersley, earlier this year named the most outstanding player at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, does not want to be defined by numbers. Coaches and teammates describe her as someone with a tremendous love and passion for softball.

"Her passion for the game is amazing," said sophomore Melissa Verde, who has known Tankersley for more than 10 years. "She always wants to go hit or work on her game. With the way she is, just being around her makes you want to be a better player."

According to Tankersley, UL helped her become a better person, too. She admits going from a small town in East Texas to a university with an enrollment of more than 17,000 students was a big change for her.

"I was born and raised in a small town of about 2,000 people where you knew everybody," she said. "I went from knowing everybody I went to school with to going to Lafayette and having no clue. It was a real shock for me."

Stefni Lotief said she remembers getting a call from Tankersley on her first day of classes as a freshman and saying, "There are more people on campus then have ever been in my whole town."

But Tankersley made enough adjustments to burst onto the national scene as a freshman in 2004, leading the Sun Belt with 21 homers – the most ever by a Cajun before Danyele Gomez hit 30 in 2005.

Tankersley set the record after homering off USA Softball Player of the Year finalist Alicia Hollowell in a 5-0 win over No. 1 Arizona in the NCAA Regional semifinal in Tucson, Ariz. She was named the Sun Belt’s Freshman of the Year.

During her sophomore year, tragedy struck. Tankersley’s grandmother died after fighting cancer. Tankersley returned home and tried to work through the pain. She eventually redshirted and missed the 2005 season.

"It was very emotional for me," Tankersley said. "My grandmother was my world, and when she died I felt like my life was incomplete. It really took a toll on me."

During her time at home, Tankersley realized she needed to get back up. Living her life and fulfilling her dreams of playing college softball was what her grandmother would have wanted.

Tankersley returned to the field in 2006 and combined for 27 homers and 104 RBIs as a sophomore and junior despite various injuries. And like last year, she’s a Top 25 finalist for National Softball Player of the Year this season.

Looking back, Tankersley said that 2005 was a turning point in her life. And playing softball for the Cajuns has helped make her who she is today.

"Being here and being part of this program has turned me around," she said. "I have matured in so many ways. This program has helped me get there and realize certain things and become who I am now."

After Tankersley’s college career is over, she wants to become a coach and help teach the next generation lessons in softball and in life.

And as far as Michael Lotief is concerned, there’s no debate: Tankersley will be as successful as a coach as she has been as a player.

"I think she will be a great coach," he said. "She understands the game. She loves the game. She knows what it takes to develop someone’s potential."