Softball: Three Cajuns Earn NFCA All-Region Honors – Cherry, Draheim, Myers Recognized

Three Cajuns Earn NFCA All-Region Honors

LAFAYETTE, La. – Brianna Cherry, Sarah Draheim and Nerissa Myers, three seniors who have led the Cajuns to their 15th consecutive NCAA Regional appearance were named to the NFCA All-Central Region team, as announced by the NFCA on May 16. Draheim and Cherry were named to the first-team All-Region and Myers was named to second-team.

“We have had a bunch of kids that had special seasons,” Head coach Michael Lotief said after the teams were announced. “They did consistently well throughout the season. The three recognized deserved it and we had some deserving players that were left off. It’s about working hard day-by-day, being consistent, working on and off the field and not only what you do statistically, but what you do for the others around you.”

All three Cajuns are picking up their second post-season awards of 2013, after all being named first-team All-Sun Belt. For both Draheim and Cherry, it was their first All-Region selection, and it was Myers’ second time, she was a first team selection last season.

Cherry, a senior from Petal, Miss, is finishing a season in which she set career bests in almost every offensive category, including home runs, RBI, doubles and slugging percentage. She hit 12 doubles and 12 home runs while driving in 51 runs. She came into 2013 with just five career doubles and ten career home runs. The senior leads Louisiana in runs (63), and total bases (125) and is tied for the lead in hits (69).

Draheim, a senior from Flower Mound, Texas is also coming off of her best offensive season, leading the team in the field and at the plate. The catcher is batting a team-high .432 with 15 home runs and a team-best 63 RBI, all top her career-highs. She has started all but one game behind the plate, catching the Cajuns fifth 300&#434343434343; strikeout pitcher in the history of the program.

They had breakout years,” Coach said of Draheim and Cherry. “They have benefited with each year of experience and being part of the game. They continued to grow, work, strive to be better and dreaming to be better. You can say that about every one of them. They continued to believe, push and work hard.”

Rounding out the Cajuns’ All-Region selections is senior shortstop Nerissa Myers. The Petal, Miss native was named to the All-Region and Louisville Slugger All-American teams last season, but an ankle injury forced her to miss 18 games in 2013. Despite the injury, Myers put up numbers that ranked in the top-10 in the conference. In just 38 games, she batted .417, scoring 47 runs, and driving in 38.

“I’m proud of the ones that received the honors and the ones I’ve watch what they do day by day,” Lotief continued. “We are lucky in Ragin’ Cajun country to have good kids who understand the values and how to pursue excellence.”

Cherry, Draheim, and Myers will look to lead the Cajuns into the Regionals in Baton Rouge, and extend their senior years as long as they can. They open up the NCAA Regional with Northwestern State on Friday, May 17 at 3:00 P.M.

The all-region teams were chosen by NFCA member coaches from each region, and all the honorees will now be eligible for selection to one of three 2012 NFCA Division I All-American teams. In addition, conference pitchers and players of the year not selected to the regional teams were added for All-America consideration.

The 2013 NFCA Division I All-America teams will be announced at 4 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, May 29, on NFCA.org.

Nick Ross

Sports Information Assistant

University of Louisiana-Lafayette

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