2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team explained

Mode:	softball
Year:	2021
Next Year:	2022
Team:	Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Conference:	Sun Belt Conference
Short Conf:	SBC
Coachrank:	15
Record:	47–12
Conf Record:	21–3
Head Coach:	Gerry Glasco
Hc Year:	4th
Asst Coach1:	Mike Roberts
Asst Coach2:	Lacy Prejean
Stadium:	Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park
Champion:	Baton Rouge Regionals appearance Sun Belt Conference Tournament champions Sun Belt Conference Regular season Champions

The 2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Ragin' Cajuns played their home games at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park and were led by fourth-year head coach Gerry Glasco. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

Previous season

On March 12, 2020, the Sun Belt Conference announced the indefinite suspension of all spring athletics, including softball, due to the increasing risk of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1] On March 16, the Sun Belt formally announced the cancelation of all spring sports, thus ending their season definitely.

The Cajuns finished the abbreviated season 1st in the only-released RPI in the NCAA, thus making them the claimed "RPI National Champions".

Preseason

Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 8, 2021. Louisiana was picked to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference with 100 votes and 10 first place votes, all first place votes available, for the second year in a row.^[2]

Coaches poll
1	Louisiana	100 (10)
2	Troy	87
3	Texas State	72
4	Coastal Carolina	68
4	UT Arlington	68
6	Appalachian State	43
7	Georgia Southern	38
8	South Alabama	36
9	Louisiana-Monroe	22
10	Georgia State	16

Preseason All-Sun Belt team

• Summer Ellyson (LA, SR, Pitcher)
• Leanna Johnson (TROY, SO, Pitcher)
• Alissa Dalton (LA, SR, Shortstop/3rd Base)
• Katie Webb (TROY, SR, Infielder/1st Base)
• Raina O'Neal (LA, JR, Outfielder)
• Julie Raws (LA, SR, Catcher)
• Courney Dean (CCU, SR, Outfielder)
• Mekhia Freeman (GASO, SR, Outfielder)
• Korie Kreps (ULM, JR, Outfielder)'
• Kaitlyn Alderink (LA, SR, 2nd Base)
• Jade Gortarez (LA, SR, Shortstop/3rd Base)
• Ciara Bryan (LA, SR, Outfielder)
• Kelly Horne (TROY, SO, Infielder/2nd Base)
• Makiya Thomas (CCU, SR, Outfielder/Infielder)
• Tara Oltmann (TXST, SR, Infielder/Shortstop)
• Jayden Mount (ULM, SR, Infielder)
• Katie Lively (TROY, SO, Outfielder)

Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year

• Alissa Dalton (LA, SR, Shortstop/3rd Base)

Sun Belt Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year

• Summer Ellyson (LA, SR, Pitcher)

National Softball Signing Day

^[3]

Jacquelyn Adams	Infielder	Bryan, Texas	Bryan HS
Jessica Adams	Pitcher	Bryan, Texas	Bryan HS
Laney Credeur	Infielder	Old Mines, Missouri	Kingston
Kramer Eschete	Outfielder	Brenham, Texas	Brenham HS
Kayla Falterman	Outfielder	The Woodlands, Texas	The Woodlands HS
Samantha Graeter	Outfielder/Utility	Spring, Texas	Oak Ridge HS
Maddie Hayden	Outfielder/Utility	West Monroe, Louisiana	West Monroe HS
Elia Hebel	Infielder	Albany, Texas	Albany HS
Samantha Landry	Pitcher	Mont Belvieu, Texas	Barbers Hill HS
Alexa Langeliers	Infielder	Keller, Texas	Keller HS
Tyler Oubre	Pitcher	Destrehan, Louisiana	Destrehan HS
McKenzie Wittenberg	Outfielder	Fort Myers, Florida	Riverdale HS

Roster

Coaching staff

Schedule and results

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

2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball Game Log
Regular season (40-10)
February (9-3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Louisiana Classics Feb. 13 No. 9 Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Lafayette Feb. 13 No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Lafayette Feb. 14 Missouri State No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Lafayette Feb. 14 No. 22 Baylor No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game cancelled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Lafayette Feb. 16 No. 9 Game postponed due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Beaumont Feb. 16 at Lamar No. 9 Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX Game postponed due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in Beaumont UAB Green & Gold Classic Feb. 20 No. 9 W 8-2 Lamb (1-0) Watkins (0-1) None 97 1-0 Feb. 20 No. 9 Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 1-0 Ellyson (1-0) Woodham (0-2) None CUSA.TV 261 2-0 Feb. 21 No. 9 Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 9-1 (6 inn) Lamb (2-0) Hannabas (0-1) None 55 3-0 Feb. 21 at UAB No. 9 Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 8-2 Ellyson (2-0) Woodham (0-3) None CUSA.TV 226 4-0 Feb. 23 No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9-0 (5 inn) Dixon (1-0) Montgomery (2-1) None 309 5-0 Feb. 24 No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-7 (8 inn) Ellyson (3-0) Tate (0-3) None 244 6-0 Louisiana-LSU Crossover Feb. 25 No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 0-4 Gorsuch (1-0) Ellyson (3-1) None 318 6-1 Feb. 26 No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-0 Lamb (3-0) Marcano (0-3) None 243 7-1 Feb. 26 Buffalo No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 16-0 (5 inn) Dixon (2-0) Hickingbottom (0-1) None 243 8-1 Feb. 27 No. 9 W 7-1 Ellyson (4-1) Simunek (1-1) None 245 9-1 Feb. 27 at No. 11 LSU No. 9 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA L 2-3 Gorsuch (2-0) Ellyson (4-2) Kiponen (1) 456 9-2 Feb. 28 No. 10 Oklahoma State No. 9 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 3-5 (9 inn) Eberle (5-0) Lamb (3-1) None 266 9-3
March (13-3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Mar. 3 at McNeese State No. 12 W 5-4 Dixon (3-0) Tate (0-5) Ellyson (1) 219 10-3 Mar. 4 No. 12 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 1-8 Rodoni (2-2) Ellyson (4-3) None 262 10-4 Mar. 6 No. 12 W 7-2 Lamb (4-1) Johnson (0-1) None 11-4 Mar. 6 at Memphis No. 12 Tigers Softball Complex • Memphis, TN W 9-0 (5 inns) Heath (1-0) Ellett (0-5) None 326 12-4 Mar. 7 at Memphis No. 12 Tigers Softball Complex • Memphis, TN W 11-7 Lamb (5-1) Nichols (1-3) None 147 13-4 Mar. 13 No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game postponed due to threat of severe weather in Lafayette Mar. 13 Georgia Southern No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game postponed due to threat of severe weather in Lafayette Mar. 14 Georgia Southern No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game postponed due to threat of severe weather in Lafayette Mar. 18 No. 15 L 0-4 O'Leary (3-0) Lamb (5-2) None 434 13-5 Mar. 18 at No. 10 Texas No. 15 Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX W 10-9 Ellyson (5-3) Jacobsen (6-2) None 434 14-5 Mar. 19 No. 15 W 9-6 Lamb (6-2) Henriksen (0-2) None 156 15-5 1-0 Mar. 20 at UT Arlington No. 15 Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX L 3-8 Gardiner (2-1) Ellyson (5-4) None 156 15-6 1-1 Mar. 21 at UT Arlington No. 15 Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX W 4-2 Lamb (7-2) Gardiner (2-2) None 156 16-6 2-1 Mar. 24 No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game postponed to April 20 due to threat of inclement weather in Lafayette Mar. 26 No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 1-0 Ellyson (6-4) Lackie (11-4) None 282 17-6 3-1 Mar. 27 RV South Alabama No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 1-0 Lamb (8-2) Hughen (3-4) None 291 18-6 4-1 Mar. 28 RV South Alabama No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6-0 Lamb (9-2) Lackie (11-5) None 304 19-6 5-1 Mar. 28 Georgia Southern No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9-2 Lamb (10-2) Waldrep (2-3) None 228 20-6 6-1 Mar. 29 Georgia Southern No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6-0 Ellyson (7-4) Richardson (2-3) None 219 21-6 7-1 Mar. 29 Georgia Southern No. 16 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-3 Lamb (11-2) Feil (0-4) None 267 22-6 8-1
April (13-3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record Apr. 2 No. 16 W 10-2 (5 inns) Ellyson (8-4) Doolittle (0-2) None 125 23-6 9-1 Apr. 2 at Georgia State No. 16 Robert E. Heck Softball Complex • Decatur, GA W 4-0 Lamb (12-2) Mooney (4-6) None 125 24-6 10-1 Apr. 3 at Georgia State No. 16 Robert E. Heck Softball Complex • Decatur, GA W 13-1 (5 inns) Ellyson (9-4) Mooney (4-7) None 127 25-6 11-1 Apr. 5 at Lamar No. 16 Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX W 18-0 (5 inns) Lamb (13-2) Reyna (1-10) None 119 26-6 Apr. 5 at Lamar No. 16 Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX W 10-0 (5 inns) Dixon (4-0) Mixon (1-10) None 119 27-6 Apr. 6 No. 14 W 8-3 Ellyson (10-4) Dunn (4-6) None 107 28-6 Apr. 7 No. 14 W 12-5 Ellyson (11-4) Hertenberger (5-6) None 243 29-6 Apr. 9 No. 14 W 5-2 Ellyson (12-4) Johnson (15-4) None 192 30-6 12-1 Apr. 10 at RV Troy No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 8-7 Lamb (14-2) Bailey (3-2) Ellyson (2) 135 31-6 13-1 Apr. 11 at RV Troy No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 10-2 (6 inns) Ellyson (13-4) Baker (4-3) None 81 32-6 14-1 Apr. 13 Southeastern Louisiana No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA Game cancelled due to threat of inclement weather in Lafayette Apr. 17 No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 1-5 Mullins (14-3) Lamb (14-3) None 289 32-7 14-2 Apr. 17 Texas State No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-3 Ellyson (14-4) Mullins (14-4) None 289 33-7 15-2 Apr. 18 Texas State No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-0 (6 inns) Ellyson (15-4) Mullins (14-5) None 283 34-7 16-2 Apr. 20 Louisiana Tech No. 13 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 7-0 Ellyson (16-4) Pickett (4-10) None 262 35-7 Apr. 24 No. 13 L 3-5 Fouts (15-3) Ellyson (16-5) None 1,413 35-8 Apr. 25 at No. 5 Alabama No. 13 Rhoads Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL L 1-5 Goodman (6-1) Lamb (14-4) Fouts (3) 1,596 35-9
May (5-1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SBC record May 1 No. 13 W 7-2 Lamb (15-4) De Jesus (5-7) None 125 36-9 17-2 May 1 at Coastal Carolina No. 13 St. Johns Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC W 7-0 Ellyson (17-5) Beasley-Polko (9-9) None 125 37-9 18-2 May 2 at Coastal Carolina No. 13 St. Johns Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC W 10-2 (5 inns) Ellyson (18-5) Brabham (5-6) None 125 38-9 19-2 May 6 No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 10-1 (5 inns) Ellyson (19-5) Chavarria (1-10) None 543 39-9 20-2 May 7 Louisiana–Monroe No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 8-6 Ellyson (20-5) Hulett (5-8) None 894 40-9 21-2 May 8 Louisiana–Monroe No. 14 Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA L 1-2 Coons (5-4) Ellyson (20-6) None 961 40-10 21-3
Post-season (7-2)
(4-0) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record May 12 vs. (9) Louisiana–Monroe (1)/No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 7-0 Lamb (16-4) Hulett (6-10) None 173 41-10 1-0 May 13 vs. (4) South Alabama (1)/No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 10-3 Ellyson (21-6) Lackie (17-10) None 167 42-10 2-0 May 14 vs. (2) Texas State (1)/No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 4-3 Ellyson (22-6) King (11-4) None 188 43-10 3-0 May 15 vs. (4) South Alabama (1)/No. 14 Troy Softball Complex • Troy, AL W 15-3 (5 inns) Ellyson (23-6) Hardy (4-3) None 279 44-10 4-0
NCAA Division I softball tournament (3-2) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record Baton Rouge Regionals May 21 (2)/No. 15 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA W 1-0 (11 inns) Ellyson (24-6) Lange (21-9) None 1,894 45-10 1-0 May 22 vs. (1)/No. 16 LSU (2)/No. 15 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA L 3-10 Sunseri (11-6) Ellyson (24-7) None 2,475 45-11 1-1 May 22 vs. (4) McNeese State (2)/No. 15 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA W 4-0 Ellyson (25-7) Edwards (9-3) Lamb (1) 1,920 46-11 2-1 May 23 vs. (1)/No. 16 LSU (2)/No. 15 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA W 2-0 Lamb (17-4) Kilponen (14-8) None 47-11 3-1 May 23 vs. (1)/No. 16 LSU (2)/No. 15 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA L 5-8 Kilponen (15-8) Lamb (17-5) None 2,285 47-12 3-2

Schedule Source:^[4] *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.

Postseason

Conference accolades

• Player of the Year: Ciara Bryan – LA
• Pitcher of the Year: Summer Ellyson – LA
• Freshman of the Year: Sara Vanderford – TXST
• Newcomer of the Year: Ciara Bryan – LA
• Coach of the Year: Gerry Glasco – LA

All Conference First Team

• Ciara Bryan (LA)
• Summer Ellyson (LA)
• Sara Vanderford (TXST)
• Leanna Johnson (TROY)
• Jessica Mullins (TXST)
• Olivia Lackie (USA)
• Kj Murphy (UTA)
• Katie Webb (TROY)
• Jayden Mount (ULM)
• Kandra Lamb (LA)
• Kendall Talley (LA)
• Meredith Keel (USA)
• Tara Oltmann (TXST)
• Jade Sinness (TROY)
• Katie Lively (TROY)

All Conference Second Team

• Kelly Horne (TROY)
• Meagan King (TXST)
• Mackenzie Brasher (USA)
• Bailee Wilson (GASO)
• Makiya Thomas (CCU)
• Kaitlyn Alderink (LA)
• Abby Krzywiecki (USA)
• Kenzie Longanecker (APP)
• Alissa Dalton (LA)
• Julie Rawls (LA)
• Korie Kreps (ULM)
• Kayla Rosado (CCU)
• Justice Milz (LA)
• Gabby Buruato (APP)
• Arieann Bell (TXST)

References:^[5]

Rankings

See main article: 2021 NCAA Division I softball rankings.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Conference . Sun Belt . Sun Belt Statement on Spring Sports Competitions . sunbeltsports.org . en.
2. Web site: Conference . Sun Belt . Sun Belt Conference Announces Preseason Softball Honors . sunbeltsports.org . 14 February 2021 . en.
3. Web site: Louisiana Announces Final Additions to 2021 Softball Recruiting Class . Louisiana Athletics . 14 February 2021 . en.
4. Web site: Louisiana Softball Unveils 2021 Season Schedule . Louisiana Athletics . 14 February 2021 . en.
5. Web site: Sun Belt Announces 2021 Softball Postseason All-Conference, Individual Awards . sunbeltsports.org . 5 January 2022 . en.