Lexie Elkins Explained

Lexie Elkins
Current Title:Volunteer Assistant Coach
Current Team:Episcopal HS (Texas)
Birth Date:6 August 1995
Birth Place:Victoria, Texas
Alma Mater:Louisiana
Player Years1:2013
Player Team1:Texas Tech
Player Years2:2014–2016
Player Team2:Louisiana
Player Positions:Catcher
Coach Years1:2019
Coach Team1:Mississippi State (Volunteer asst.)
Coach Years2:2020–2021
Coach Team2:Houston (asst.)
Coach Years3:2022–present
Coach Team3:Episcopal (Bellaire, TX) (Volunteer asst.)
Lexie Elkins
Team:Chicago Bandits
Number:33/7
Position:Catcher/outfielder
Birth Date:August 6, 1995
Birth Place:Victoria, Texas, U.S.
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:NPF
Debutdate:June 7
Debutyear:2016
Debutteam:Pennsylvania Rebellion
Statleague:NPF
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat1value:.656
Stat3label:Home runs
Stat3value:44
Stat2label:Hits
Stat2value:21
Stat4label:Runs batted in
Stat4value:15
Teams:
Highlights:
  • James J. Corbett Award Winner (2015)
  • NFCA Catcher of the Year (2015)
  • NFCA First Team All-American (2015)
  • NFCA First Team All-Central Region (2015)
  • Sun Belt Conference Tournament All-Tournament Team (2015)
  • Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year (2015)
  • All-Sun Belt First Team (2015)
  • All-Louisiana First Team (2015)
  • USA Softball Player of the Year Top 26 Finalist (2015)
  • Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year (2015)
  • USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 Watchlist (2015)
  • USA Softball Selection Camp Invitee (2015)
  • NFCA Third Team All-American (2014)
  • NFCA First Team All-Central Region (2014)
  • Sun Belt Conference Tournament All-Tournament Team (2014)
  • Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year (2014)
  • All-Sun Belt First Team (2014)
  • Louisiana Sports Writers Association Hitter of the Year (2014)
  • Louisiana Sports Writers Association Newcomer of the Year (2014)
  • All-Louisiana First Team (2014)

Alexandrea "Lexie" Kenedie Elkins (born August 6, 1995)[1] is an American softball coach, she served as the assistant coach at Houston. She is also a former collegiate All-American, and retired softball catcher. She began her college softball career at Texas Tech in 2013 before transferring to Louisiana for the 2014–16 seasons, where she set numerous school records. She is the Sun Belt Conference career leader in batting average and slugging percentage in only three seasons. She is also one of nine NCAA Division I players to hit a career .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800% slugging percentage for a career.

Playing career

Texas Tech

Elkins began her Texas Tech Red Raiders career debuting on February 8, 2013, hitting a double to score two runs and beat the UCF Knights.[2] That year she had the best plate discipline on the team, only fanning 7 times, and was second in fielding percentage.[3]

Louisiana

As a sophomore, she was named a 2014 National Fastpitch Coaches Association Third Team All-American, with First Team All-Sun Belt and "Player of The Year" conference honors in addition.[4] [5] [6] Elkins posted career highs in hits, doubles and the second best school record for home runs, which led and was atop the conference, along with her RBIs and walks totals. Elkins also ranked top-5 in the same categories, minus the walks, for the NCAA.[7]

In a March 6 contest, Elkins collected a career-high 7 RBIs vs. the Lamar Lady Cardinals by hitting a double and two home runs.[8] The Ragin' Cajuns made a trip to the Women's College World Series but did not get a win. In her only career appearance at the WCWS, Elkins went 2/5, both of her hits were solo home runs.

Elkins again earned conference First Team honors, "Player of The Year" recognition and an NFCA First Team citation.[9] [10] [11] She broke the school records for home runs and slugging to also set the conference season standards; in addition, both Elkins' totals and her RBIs were also top-5 NCAA records, she was tops for home runs (which also set the all-time junior class record).

On March 13, 2015, Elkins mustered a career-best 4 hits vs. the UTA Mavericks, she would go on to match it twice more that season.[12] For one of those games on April 18 against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, she tied a school and conference record by sending out three home runs. She achieved the feat by also hitting those home runs consecutively to tie the NCAA single-game second best performance.[13] Later on May 2, she hit her 50th career home run (all in only two seasons with the Cajuns) off Melanie Coyne of the ULM Warhawks.[14]

For a final year, Elkins earned First Team honors from the NFCA, the conference and for a third straight year was crowned "Player of The Year," a rare feat.[15] [16] She broke and set her own school and conference records in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging (all career bests), while the home runs were top-5 all-time for the school. Elkins led the conference and ranked top-5 in all the same categories for the NCAA.[7]

On February 26, 2016, Elkins captured her 200th career RBI on a first-inning home run to defeat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.[17] Despite missing a month of games with an injury, Elkins and the Cajuns made the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Super Regionals where they were eventually eliminated on May 27. Ending on a career-high 13-consecutive-game hit streak (.461 18/39, 11 RBIs, three home runs, 5 doubles, 9 walks, slugging .820% and fanning just once), Elkins went (2/4) in her final appearance against the Oklahoma Sooners.[18]

Elkins would leave Lafayette with the career crown in average, slugging and ranking top-5 in home runs for her three years.[19] For the Sun Belt, Elkins leads in average (.430) and slugging (.989%), while standing top-10 in home runs (75) and RBIs (206).[20] [21] In all of the NCAA, she ranks in slugging percentage (8th).[22]

Professional

Elkins was selected first overall by the Pennsylvania Rebellion in the 2016 NPF Draft on April 16, 2016.[23] In her first professional at-bat, she hit a home run in a 15–1 win.[24] In the 2017 off-season, she was picked up as a free agent by the Chicago Bandits. She announced her retirement from the National Pro Fastpitch on March 25, 2017.[25]

Coaching career

Mississippi State (Volunteer assistant)

On August 16, 2018, Elkins was announced as a volunteer assistant coach of the Mississippi State softball program where she served for one season.[26]

Houston (asst.)

On July 17, 2019, Elkins was announced as assistant coach of the Houston softball program where she served for two seasons.[27]

Episcopal HS (Asst.)

Elkins spent the spring of 2022 as the assistant coach of the Bellaire, Texas Episcopal High School where they captured a state championship.

Statistics

Texas Tech Red Raiders & Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

[28]

YEARGABRHBARBIHR3B2BTBSLGBBSOSBSBA
2013471161833.2842100841.353%17700
2014591884173.3887424012157.835%401011
2015541554466.4268332051671.077%381012
2016371084355.50949190101221.129%28311
TOTALS197567146227.40022775035487.859%1233034

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lexie Elkins. University of Louisiana at Lafayette. RaginCajuns.com. June 16, 2018.
  2. Web site: Texas Tech Routs Central Florida For Season-Opening Win . Texastech.com . February 8, 2013 . 2016-06-07.
  3. Web site: Texas Tech Season Statistics . Texastech.com . 2015-06-07.
  4. Web site: 2014 NFCA Division I All-Americans . Nfca.org . 2016-06-07.
  5. Web site: Hamilton & Elkins Named NFCA All-Americans . Ragincajuns.com . May 28, 2014 . 2016-06-07.
  6. Web site: Elkins, Hamilton & Lotief Highlight Sun Belt Recipients . Rajincajuns.com . May 6, 2014 . 2015-06-07.
  7. Web site: Softball Archived Statistics . Ncaa.org . 2016-06-07.
  8. Web site: Elkins, Fernandez Lead Cajuns Past Lamar, 14–3 . Rajincajuns.com . March 6, 2014 . 2016-06-07.
  9. Web site: 2015 All-American Awards . Nfca.org . 2016-06-07.
  10. Web site: Elkins & Landry Named All-Americans . Rajincjuns.com . May 27, 2015 . 2015-06-07.
  11. Web site: Elkins Headlines List of Eight Cajuns Named All-Sun Belt . Rajincajuns.com . May 5, 2015 . 2015-06-07.
  12. Web site: Vincent & Elkins Lead The Charge Past UT Arlington . Rajincajus.com . March 13, 2015 . 2016-06-07.
  13. Web site: Power Barrage Carries Cajuns To Sweep at App State . Rajincajuns.com . April 19, 2015 . 2015-06-07.
  14. Web site: Cajuns Sweep ULM & Capture Sun Belt Championship . Rajincajuns.com . May 2, 2015 . 2015-06-07.
  15. Web site: Cajuns Place Three on NFCA Division I All-America List . Rajincajuns.com . June 1, 2016 . 2015-06-07.
  16. Web site: Elkins Grabs Third Top Honor, Seven Cajuns All-Sun Belt . Rajincajuns.com . May 10, 2016 . 2015-06-07.
  17. Web site: Trahan Tosses No-Hitter in Rajin' Cajuns Invite Opener . Rajincajuns.com . February 26, 2016 . 2016-06-08.
  18. Web site: Sooners Hold Off Cajuns To Claim Super Regional . Rajincajuns.com . May 27, 2016 . 2016-06-08.
  19. Web site: 2021 Louisiana Softball History & Records Book . Ragincajuns.com . 2020-08-14.
  20. Web site: 2020 Sun Belt Softball Record Book . Sunbeltsports.org . 2020-08-14.
  21. Web site: Lexie Elkins . Rajincajuns.com . 2016-06-08.
  22. Web site: Division I Softball Records . Ncaa.org . 2020-08-14.
  23. Web site: National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Presented by Bownet . https://web.archive.org/web/20160806214619/http://profastpitch.com/news/index.html?article_id=2513 . usurped . August 6, 2016 . Profastpitch.com . April 16, 2016 . 2016-06-08.
  24. Web site: Lexie Elkins First Pro Hit Was A Two Run Blast . Espn1420.com . June 7, 2016 . 2016-06-08.
  25. Web site: LEXIE ELKINS RETIRING FROM PROFESSIONAL SOFTBALL . Espn1420.com . 2017-03-27 . 2018-06-16.
  26. Web site: Softball Adds Lexie Elkins to Coaching Staff . HailState.com . Mississippi State University Athletics . 23 July 2019.
  27. Web site: Lexie Elkins Joins Houston Softball Coaching Staff . UHCougars.com . University of Houston Athletics . 23 July 2019.
  28. Web site: Archived Team-By-Team Final Statistics . Ncaa.org . 2018-06-16.