The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns softball squad dominated throughout the regular season so it seems fitting that they took up seven spots on the All-Sun Belt Conference first team that was announced on Tuesday.
It’s even less of a surprise that junior DJ Sanders was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. Sanders led the nation in several categories and is one of only five student-athletes with over 20 home runs and the only one to reach 70 RBIs by May 1st.
However, she wasn’t the only Cajun to receive individual honors as Alyssa Denham was the recipient of the freshman of the year award. Dennham owns wins over Alabama and Texas A&M and ended the season in the top 10 in the conference in wins and ERA.
Coach Michael Lotief also earned Coach of the Year honors for 2017 after finishing the regular season at 23-1 in conference play.
Below is the complete list of the Sun Belt honors that were released on Tuesday evening with Cajuns players listed in bold.
First Team All-Sun Belt
Devin Brown (South Alabama, Junior, P, Graphic Design)
Alyssa Denham (Louisiana, Freshman, P, Kinesiology)
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Junior, P, Management)
Alex Stewart (Louisiana, Senior, P, Mathematics/Finance)
Ivie Drake (Georgia State, Junior, C, Early Childhood Education)
Haley Hayden (Louisiana, Senior, 1B, Exercise Science)
Kaleigh Todd (South Alabama, Junior, 2B, Education)
Becca Hartley (Troy, Senior, SS, Accounting)
Ariel Ortiz (Texas State, Junior, SS, Management)
DJ Sanders (Louisiana, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
Kara Gremillion (Louisiana, Sophomore, 3B, Exercise Science)
Aleah Craighton (Louisiana, Junior, OF, Biology/Pre-Med)
Taty Forbes (Coastal Carolina, Sophomore, OF)
Megan Litumbe (Georgia State, RS Junior, OF, Human Learning and Development)
Emily Snider (Georgia Southern, Senior, OF, Accounting)
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Sam Clakley (UTA, Sophomore, P, Kinesiology)
Kinsley Jennings (Georgia State, Junior, P)
Dixie Raley (Georgia Southern, Sophomore, P, Public Relations)
Destin Vicknair (South Alabama, Senior, P, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Lexie Comeaux (Louisiana, Sophomore, C, General Studies)
Aileen Garcia (UTA, Freshman, 1B, Mechanical Engineering)
Sandra Mendoza (UTA, Junior, 2B, Kinesiology)
Kassidy Zeringue (Louisana, Senior, 2B, Exercise Science)
Kristian Foster (South Alabama, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
Kensey Caldwell (Georgia State, Senior, 3B, Human Learning and Development)
Morgan Brown (Georgia State, Senior, OF, Marketing)
Mekhia Freeman (Georgia Southern, Freshman, OF, Human Resource Management)
Sydney McKay (ULM, Sophomore, OF, Accounting)
Amanda Minahan (South Alabama, Senior, OF, Exercise Science)
Krista Rude (UTA, Sophomore, OF, Education)
Player of the Year
DJ Sanders (Louisiana, Junior, SS, Exercise Science)
Pitcher of the Year
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Junior, Management)
Freshman of the Year
Alyssa Denham (Louisiana, P, Kinesiology)
Newcomer of the Year
Kinsley Jennings (Georgia State, Junior, P)
Coach of the Year
Michael Lotief, Louisiana
-Clint Domingue