Alyson Habetz and the Lousiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball program announced their latest addition to the lineup on Tuesday, July 30th. Outfielder Erin Ardoin is headed to Lafayette to play for the Cajuns in 2025.
Ardoin is a veteran outfielder heading into her fourth season as a collegiate athlete. She was a key contributor to McNeese’s success in 2022 and 2023 as the Cowgirls advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals. Ardoin will enter the season with one year left of eligibility and potentially one more to compete for the Cajuns.
“Erin (Ardoin) is a fierce competitor who grew up in a highly talented baseball family,” Habetz stated. “Her brother, Sam, will also be competing on the UL baseball diamond.
“Erin is a true triple threat – she creates havoc for the defense with her home run power and speed,” Habetz continued. “Erin also exudes positivity in everything she does and will no doubt uplift her teammates and bring joy to our fans. I am thrilled to have Erin in our Ragin’ Cajuns family and I can’t wait to see the impact she will make.”
The Moss Bluff native quickly developed into an all-conference outfielder while at McNeese. After appearing in 41 games as a freshman in 2022, Ardoin batted .288 and tracked down 73 fly balls as a sophomore in 2023, garnering second-team All-Southland Conference honors.
In her 53 starts in the outfield during the 2023 season, Ardoin finished fourth on the Cowgirls squad in batting average and leading the team in walks (21). She batted near-.300 the entire season, primarily above .270, and registered a .280 average or higher in the final 25 games.
Over 118 at-bats in her sophomore campaign, Ardoin posted 34 hits, 21 runs scored, and swiped 18 stolen bases in 22 attempts. In the five games of the NCAA Seattle Regional, Ardoin recorded three hits in the series of contests with host Washington.
An early season injury limited her to two at-bats during the 2024 season and pending NCAA approval she could gain an additional year of eligibility.
Sam Houston in Lake Charles was where Ardoin went to High School as she earned all-district honors three times – a first-team selection as a senior and second-team honoree as a freshman and sophomore. As a senior, she recorded a .526 batting average and a .600 on-base percentage to go along with 13 RBI, 17 stolen bases, three triples, and two doubles.
Ardoin comes from a family that’s rich in baseball tradition. Her father, Danny, was a catcher in the MLB for five seasons after being a fifth-round selection in the 1995 MLB Draft. All three of her brothers have played Division I baseball: Drew (Lamar), Silas (Texas), and Sam (Texas) who is now an incoming transfer on the Ragin’ Cajuns baseball squad.
The 2025 season marks the first under Habetz’s guidance. A celebrated Ragin’ Cajuns student-athlete and renowned softball coach, she was named the fifth head coach in Louisiana Softball’s storied history on June 25, 2024.
A native of nearby Crowley, Louisiana, Habetz ascends to the head coach ranks in her hometown area of the Acadiana region. A basketball and softball player for the Ragin’ Cajuns from 1990-95, she returns to where her impactful contributions to women’s athletics began.