2017 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns softball team explained

Year:	2017
Team:	Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns
Sport:	softball
Conference:	Sun Belt Conference
Short Conf:	SBC
Coachrank:	19
Record:	47-8
Conf Record:	23-1
Head Coach:	Michael Lotief
Hc Year:	17th
Asst Coach1:	Chris Malveaux
Asst Coach2:	Kate Malveaux
Stadium:	Lamson Park
Champion:	Baton Rouge Regionals appearance Sun Belt Conference tournament champions Sun Belt Conference regular-season champions
Tourney:	Mardi Gras Invitational Champions Ragin' Cajun Invitational Champions

The 2017 Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns softball team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the 2017 NCAA Division I softball season. The Ragin' Cajuns play their home games at Lamson Park. This would also be the last season that a Lotief would be the head coach of the Ragin' Cajuns. This came after the university fired Lotief, both Malveauxs, Director of Operations Kelsey Vincent, and one manager, Sara Corbello on November 1, 2017 due to allegations of physically and verbal abuse to his players and for laying a finger on the university's strength coach. The Ragin' Cajuns softball players strongly disagreed with his firing. Several even transferred schools with most making a pack that "if they couldn't play with Lotief, they wouldn't play at all." However, most of the team remained and competed in 2018. Nearly a year later, Lotief filed a lawsuit against the university claiming that they fired him over retaliation from Lotief claiming that the university violated NCAA Title IX laws which state that women's sports must be treated the same as their male counterpart. In the lawsuit, Lotief called University President Joseph E. Savoie, Athletic Director Bryan Maggard, and Assistant Athletic Director Dr. Jessica Leger as the defendants.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Preseason

Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 30, 2017. Louisiana-Lafayette was picked to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference with 100 votes and 10 first place votes, every first place vote available.^[4]

Coaches poll
1	Louisiana-Lafayette	100 (10)
2	Texas State	87
3	South Alabama	80
4	Georgia State	68
5	Georgia Southern	55
6	Troy	44
7	UT Arlington	41
8	Coastal Carolina	32
9	Louisiana-Monroe	30
10	Appalachian State	13

Preseason All-Sun Belt team

• Ivie Drake (GSU, JR, Catcher)
• Mandy Blackwell (GSU, SR, 1st Base)
• Haley Hayden (ULL, SR, 2nd Base)
• Kaleigh Todd (USA, JR, 2nd Base)
• Sandra Mendoza (UTA, JR, 2nd Base)
• DJ Sanders (ULL, JR, Shortstop)
• Corrina Liscano (TXST, SR, 3rd Base)
• Taty Forbes (CCU, SO, Outfield)
• Aleah Craighton (ULL, JR, Outfield)
• Rochelle Roberts (ULM, SR, Outfield)
• Megan Litumbe (GSU, R-JR, Designated Player)
• Dixie Raley (GASO, SO, Pitcher)
• Alex Stewart (ULL, SR, Pitcher)
• Devin Brown (USA, JR, Pitcher)
• Randi Rupp (TXST, JR, Pitcher)

Preseason Player of the Year

• Aleah Craighton (ULL, JR, Outfield)'

Roster

Coaching staff

Schedule and results

Legend
	Louisiana-Lafayette win
	Louisiana-Lafayette loss
	Postponement/Cancellation
Bold	Louisiana team member

2017 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns Softball Game Log
Regular season (42-6)
February (11-4) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Louisiana Classics Feb. 10 No. 11 W 9-1 (6 inn) Stewart (1-0) Landwehrmier (0-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1-0 Feb. 10 No. 11 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9-1 Denham (1-0) Sanders (0-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,022 2-0 Feb. 11 DePaul No. 11 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 4-3 Stewart (2-0) Garcia (1-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 3-0 Feb. 11 No. 11 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-4 Smith (1-0) Miles (0-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,237 4-0 Feb. 12 No. 11 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 3-4 Johnson (1-0) Denham (1-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 4-1 Feb. 12 Southern Miss No. 11 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 3-5 Crowson (3-0) Stewart (2-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,175 4-2 Feb. 18 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 0-3 Osorio (4-0) Smith (1-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 4-3 Feb. 18 No. 4 Alabama No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 11-2 (6 inn) Stewart (3-1) Moore (1-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,210 5-3 Feb. 19 No. 4 Alabama No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-0 Denham (2-1) Osorio (4-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,079 6-3 Mardi Gras Invitational Feb. 23 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9-3 Denham (3-1) Newman (5-3) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 7-3 Feb. 23 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 14-2 (5 inn) Stewart (4-1) Combs (1-2) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,024 8-3 Feb. 24 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 12-5 Ellyson (1-0) Ethridge (0-1) Smith (1) Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,917 9-3 Feb. 25 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 3-0 Denham (4-1) Martin (1-3) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,939 10-3 Feb. 26 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 1-2 Hull (5-1) Stewart (4-2) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 10-4 Feb. 26 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 19-0 (5 inn) Smith (2-1) Ellis (0-1) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,010 11-4
March (12-1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Ragin' Cajuns Invitational Mar. 3 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-0 (5 inn) Smith (3-1) Castillo (1-3) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 12-4 Mar. 3 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-2 Denham (5-1) Sertic (3-9) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,841 13-4 Mar. 4 North Dakota State No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 15-0 (5 inn) Stewart (5-2) Leddy (1-4) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 14-4 Mar. 4 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-0 (6 inn) Stewart (6-2) Carter (4-6) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,915 15-4 Mar. 5 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 18-0 (5 inn) Denham (6-1) Carter (4-7) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 16-4 Mar. 5 Alcorn State No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 14-4 (5 inn) Stewart (7-2) Dorsey (0-4) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,799 17-4 Mar. 9 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 4-5 Selman (11-2) Stewart (7-3) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,861 17-5 Mar. 11 No. 18 Series cancelled due to inclement weather Mar. 11 No. 18 Series cancelled due to inclement weather Mar. 12 No. 18 Series cancelled due to inclement weather Mar. 18 No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6-5 Stewart (8-3) Clakley (11-6) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 18-5 1-0 Mar. 18 UT Arlington No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6-2 Denham (7-1) Denson (1-6) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,061 19-5 2-0 Mar. 19 UT Arlington No. 18 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 11-2 (6 inn) Denham (8-1) Clakley (11-7) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,908 20-5 3-0 Mar. 25 No. 17 W 8-3 Denham (9-1) Brown (9-5) None None 21-5 4-0 Mar. 25 at South Alabama No. 17 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL W 4-2 Stewart (9-3) Vicknair (9-5) None None 687 22-5 5-0 Mar. 26 at South Alabama No. 17 Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL W 9-4 Stewart (10-3) Brown (9-6) None None 591 23-5 6-0
April (16-1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Apr. 1 No. 17 W 15-0 (5 inn) Stewart (11-3) Raley (9-12) None None 24-5 7-0 Apr. 1 at Georgia Southern No. 17 Eagles Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA W 10-2 (6 inn) Denham (10-1) Camp (5-6) None None 137 25-5 8-0 Apr. 2 at Georgia Southern No. 17 Eagles Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA W 6-2 Stewart (12-3) Raley (9-13) Denham (1) None 126 26-5 9-0 Apr. 8 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 3-1 Denham (11-1) Graves (7-6) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 27-5 10-0 Apr. 8 Troy No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 11-0 (5 inn) Stewart (13-3) Willis (1-2) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,088 28-5 11-0 Apr. 9 Troy No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 11-0 (5 inn) Stewart (14-3) Rigney-Brown (6-13) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,474 29-5 12-0 Apr. 11 No. 17 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 13-5 (5 inn) Denham (12-1) VanHemelryck (0-3) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,865 30-5 Apr. 14 No. 17 W 8-1 Denham (13-1) Rupp (20-6) None None 31-5 13-0 Apr. 14 at Texas State No. 17 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX W 12-4 (6 inn) Stewart (15-3) Williams (5-3) None None 1,013 32-5 14-0 Apr. 15 at Texas State No. 17 Bobcat Softball Stadium • San Marcos, TX L 1-2 (8 inn) Williams (6-3) Denham (13-2) None None 784 32-6 14-1 Apr. 19 No. 17 W 11-9 Denham (14-2) Show (14-3) None SEC Network+ 953 33-6 Apr. 22 No. 17 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 19-4 (5 inn) Smith (4-1) Worsham (4-2) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 34-6 15-1 Apr. 22 Georgia State No. 17 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-1 Stewart (16-3) Jennings (14-9) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,740 35-6 16-1 Apr. 23 Georgia State No. 17 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 14-6 (5 inn) Stewart (17-3) Jennings (14-10) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 2,058 36-6 17-1 Apr. 29 No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9-0 (5 inn) Stewart (18-3) Rahach (12-8) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 37-6 18-1 Apr. 29 Coastal Carolina No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 13-4 (5 inn) Stewart (19-3) Guillette (11-9) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,750 38-6 19-1 Apr. 30 Coastal Carolina No. 16 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-0 (5 inn) Stewart (20-3) Rahach (12-9) None Ragin' Cajuns Digital Network 1,725 39-6 20-1
May (3-0) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record May 6 No. 15 W 4-0 Stewart (21-3) Porter (6-6) None None 40-6 21-1 May 6 at Louisiana-Monroe No. 15 Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA W 6-5 Denham (15-2) Wader (1-2) Stewart (1) None 271 41-6 22-1 May 7 at Louisiana-Monroe No. 15 Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA W 8-0 (6 inn) Stewart (22-3) Coyne (16-13) None None 187 42-6 23-1
Post-Season (5-2)
(3-0) Date Opponent Seed/rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record May 11 vs. South Alabama (Quarterfinals) No. 14 W 6-0 Stewart (23-3) Vicknair (14-11) None 476 43-6 May 12 vs. Texas State (Semifinals) No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 5-2 Stewart (43-3) Vicknair (14-11) None ESPN3 570 44-6 May 13 vs. Texas State (Championship) No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 12-0 (5 inn) Stewart (25-3) Williams (6-4) None ESPN3 679 45-6
(2-2) Date Opponent Seed/rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Baton Rouge Regionals May 19 No. 14 W 6-0 Stewart (26-3) Corbello (11-4) None ESPN3 1,993 46-6 May 20 No. 14 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA W 4-2 Stewart (27-3) Walljasper (16-5) None ESPN3 2,358 47-6 May 21 vs. No. 18 LSU No. 14 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA L 1-6 Hoover (13-6) Stewart (27-4) None ESPN3 1,997 47-7 May 22 vs. No. 18 LSU No. 14 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA L 1-5 Hoover (14-6) Stewart (27-5) None ESPN3 2,169 47-8 Schedule Source:^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Breaking News: Former Louisiana Ragin' Cajun' Head Softball Coach Michael Lotief Announces Lawsuit Against University. Extra Inning Softball. 20 September 2018 . March 17, 2019.
2. Web site: Former softball coach Lotief sues UL over defamation, Title IX complaints. The Advertiser. en. 2019-03-19.
3. Web site: UL-Lafayette report: Softball coach sought 'secrecy and authority' over players, abuse alleged. MYERS. BEN. The Advocate. en. 2019-03-19.
4. Web site: Ragin' Cajuns Chosen Preseason Sun Belt Favorite for 2017 - Louisiana Athletics. ragincajuns.com. March 17, 2019.
5. Louisiana Releases 2017 Softball Schedule. UL Department of Athletics. August 7, 2016. March 5, 2019.