The University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball placed five players on the 2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Central Region Team. The organization released the teams on Thursday.
UL pitcher Summer Ellyson and shortstop Alissa Dalton were selected to the NFCA All-Central Region First Team. Third baseman Kara Gremillion, outfielder Sarah Hudek, and catcher Julie Rawls meanwhile earned second-team selections.
The all-region awards honor softball student-athletes from the NFCA’s 10 regions with first, second and third team selections. NFCA member coaches from each respective region voted on the teams.
All five of the Cajun honorees are now eligible for selection to the 2019 NFCA Division I All-American squads. The All-America teams will be announced at approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, via NFCA.org.
This makes the 32nd consecutive year that at least one UL softball star has received all-region accolades. The five selections also increases UL’s all-time total number of selections to 131.
Ellyson and Dalton returned to the NFCA All-Central Region Team for the second straight year.
Ellyson, the nation’s leader in wins and the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, picked up her first career first-team honor. Dalton, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, earned repeat first-team accolades.
Senior Gremillion, who leads the team in doubles (11), and freshman Rawls, a team-best 49 RBI, each picked up their first career all-region award.
Hudek meanwhile picked up an all-region honor for the second straight season, adding to her NFCA All-South selection last season at Texas A&M.
No. 7 Louisiana (50-4) is making its 21st consecutive NCAA appearance, and 29th overall in the past 30 seasons. UL faces Southeast Missouri (45-16) in the opening round of the Oxford Regional at 3:30 p.m. Friday.