RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Monday evening, November 10, 2020, Louisiana Head Coach Gerry Glasco sent a text to his double-digit number of high school seniors who were just hours away with signing to play for Ragin’ Cajun softball program.
In the text, the coach explained that the dozen incoming Class of ‘21 standouts—a large group of which an amazing 10 were rated in the 2021 Extra Elite 100 rankings—would be replacing “12 great players on our roster scheduled to leave our program this June, And you all will be counted on to have huge shoes to help fill those voids.”
And then the Cajun coach described the daunting journey his signees would be facing.
“You all should know that you are coming to an extremely competitive program, nothing will be easy, nothing will be given and yet the opportunity is beyond special for those that both work hard and succeed! Geaux Cajuns.”
A “Culture of Competition,” is how the long-time college coach describes it. “It’s where every single detail matters and the players are made well-aware that they are coming to an extremely competitive environment.”
And it’s working, as the Ragin’ Cajuns are attracting some of the top players in the country including the #1 overall recruiting class in the nation this year as measured by Extra Inning Softball.
EXCELLENT PAST… BRIGHT FUTURE
When you think of college softball DI powers in recent history (say, the last decade or two), the UCLA’s, Oklahoma’s, Florida’s come to mind—as they should, with each having won multiple national titles over the years.
But one non-Power 5 Conference school that would have to at least be in the conversation is Louisiana, the university based in Lafayette, Louisiana known for having a rabid fastpitch fan base and one of the coolest nicknames in the nation: the Ragin’ Cajuns.
In the shortened 2020 season, the Sun Belt Conference power finished in the Top 10 of two major polls—#8 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 and #9 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25—thanks to an 18-6 record. The final 2020 ranking extended Louisiana’s active streak of consecutive seasons with a spot the final national polls to 13 straight (2008-2020) and the 28th overall finish in the final polls within the past 31 seasons, a streak which dates back to 1990.
This season was Head Coach Gerry Glasco’s third at the helm of the program and saw him pick up a very impressive five wins over other Top 10-ranked programs including Texas, LSU, Oklahoma State and Florida (twice).
When the coach started in Lafayette in 2018, however, he faced a daunting task, if only in building and maintaining body counts.
“When I started in January that year,” he recalls, “we had about 13 who had left the program during the transition of the coaching changes leading into summer of 2018. We lost the best parts of 2018 recruiting class and, eventually, several of those 2018’s ending up signing elsewhere.”
By that time, the talent in the classes of 2019 and 2020 were all but gone as well, committed elsewhere.
“I decide, ‘I’m going to get best classes in 2021 and 2022 I can and welcome transfers.’”
Glasco realized that what initially looked like a negative could be turned into a positive.
“We decided to live on transfers,” he explains. “We had a lot of money and pulled in some really good talent; very quickly, we became more successful than I dreamed we could.”
The Cajuns went 41-16 in 2018 and 52-6 in 2019 with a squad heavy on those transfers and now have a roster that the head coach says is the most talented he’s ever coached.
As to how the affable coach got to this point, he is open with the process and the reason for his success: the devil, as the saying goes, is in the details.
EVERY PITCH & AT-BAT COUNTS
One thing many college players will tell you about the difference between high school/club ball versus college play is, at the higher level, every pitch and at-bat is a battle.
With advanced scouting and increasingly sophisticated technology, opponent teams, coaches and players know you better than you know yourself. It’s as much mental, if not more so, as it physical.
For that reason, Glasco puts his players through an exacting (and internally revealing) series of player-administered hitting contests—including 13 this fall alone—where the batters are tracked on roughly 1,000 pitches.
And shining the light on a process that has worked well for his squad, the coach reveals: “Here, every at-bat is recorded and measured with the players doing the pitching, hitting and scoring of the results.
The team-administered Player Index incorporates everything from speed (home-to-home time, for one), hitting contest results, scrimmage batting average and more.
A score over 100 is impressive and this fall the Cajuns had four who surpassed triple digits led by senior shortstop Alissa Dalton (score of 109) followed by freshman outfielder Taylor Roman, junior outfielder Jenna Kean, a new transfer from Arizona, and senior shortstop Jade Gortarez.
Speaking of Dalton, her coach says it’s not a coincidence that the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year is also atop the Player Index.
“Alissa won it this year,” he begins, “and what it shows is that she is a hitting machine under pressure. In these contests, you get similar pressure to what you’ll experience in a game and she scored a .750 percentage, which is amazing. Alissa is the first to ever get over .600 percent,” the coach marvels, “and she led our team in fall batting average, too.
Regarding the value of the player-administered Player Index, he believes it has helped elevate the play of his team.
“This is a culture of complete competitiveness,” adds Coach Glasco, “and, with the travel ball situation as it exists now, most young kids don’t understand or have experienced a background where every swing in every batting practice is measured.
To be honest, young players coming into college today have showcased their talents, but those travel ball events don’t prepare them for the complete competitiveness you need at this level. They enter an environment they’re not prepared for.”
12 INCOMING SENIORS + SIX TRANSFERS TO = EXCELLENT DEPTH
The future of the Ragin’ Cajun program appears strong for years to come with the 2021 signing class pulled in by the Ragin’ Cajuns’ coaching staff.
There are five players in the Top 50 of the 2021 Extra Elite 100 including pitcher Sam Landry (#4 overall) and outfielder Maddie Hayden (#15 overall). There is literally a complete team coming in with standout pitchers, infielders and outfielders.
*** Check out below the complete Signing Day release issued on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020; also, the release issued Nov. 17 announcing two more signees.
Adding to the “competitive depth” that Glasco craves, has been the announcement of six standout transfers since April including two over the few weeks from the Univ. of Georgia, where the current Louisiana head man coached from 2008 to 2014.
His coaching resume also includes two earlier stops in the SEC—at Texas A&M (2015-2017) and Auburn (2017)—in addition to his heading the USSSA Pride of the NPF (pro league) in 2014 and 2019 and the Houston Scrapyard Dawgs in 2017. All three of those teams won NPF championships and that trio of titles is the most by any coach, an accomplishment Glasco admits he is “very proud of.”
Two weeks ago, the school announced the signing of Justice Milz, a senior lefty-hitting infielder coming in from Georgia. Four days earlier, another former Bulldog was inked by Louisiana in Ciara Bryan, a lefty outfielder who, along with Milz, helped the SEC get to the Women’s College World Series.
“I had recruited Ciara back when she was in the 7th or 8th grade,” the coach remembers, “and had a good relationship with her. I led the recruitment on Ciara with Georgia back in 2014 and I love the fact I know how they’re well coached and competitive in Coach Lu’s (Harris-Champer) program. They will have the same mindset here.”
The signing of Milz marks the sixth Division I transfer that Glasco has brought into the Ragin’ Cajun fold in an effort to maintain the momentum the program built during the shortened 2020 season.
She and Bryan join a group that includes Jade Gortarez (Arizona State), Vanessa Foreman (Arizona), Karly Heath (South Carolina), Jenna Kean (Arizona).
You can read below the extensive bios of each DI transfer released when signed to Louisiana over the last year.
With the ongoing movement of players into the program, it’s not a surprise that several have left as well. As first reported on Justin’s World of Softball, three Ragin’ Cajun players from the 2020 team entered the transfer portal earlier in November:
“Jolie Readeaux, Addalyn Lightner, and Mia Cantu all entered their names into the portal,” wrote Justin McLeod of JWOS on Nov. 5, 2020. “The trio join infielder Kourtney Gremillion as players to depart the Cajuns program since the beginning of August. Gremillion matriculated at Charlotte in late September.”
Glasco acknowledges that the size of the rosters has become cumbersome with current players being able to repeat a year.
“The reality is that some of them will go into the transfer portal and choose to play elsewhere,” the Cajun coach admits, “and that’s OK. If they can go anywhere else, start and be happy, why wouldn’t they? The portal has made transfers easy for athletes to have the chance to readjust at a place where they can compete and be happy.”
It’s not like the coach just turns his back on those looking to go elsewhere and have a new start—he recently was on the phone talking to coaches from multiple colleges about good fits for his soon-to-be former players.
“They’re all great kids and we want the best for them, for them to compete and play to have the best college experience possible.”
NUMBERS GAME
It was a pretty clean wash with 12 leaving/graduating from the 2020 team and a dozen new players coming in via this month’s signing of the dozen Class of 2021 players, but there are also six new transfers coming on board so it will be a battle for playing time—not to mention even making the travel squad.
Glasco is planning ahead and not just for what he can control on the field.
“We went into the fall with 30 on scholarship,” he explains, “and this spring we’ll have no more than 25 with a travel roster of 22. “But with the Coronavirus everything is up in the air. To plan for the spring, we are preparing for a very likely chance that we will play a conference only schedule, meaning there will be no Wednesday games.”
And Glasco has a plan for that, too.
“If there are no Wednesday games, we’ll do intrasquad games and, with the talent we have, at times this game may be our most competitive game of the week. The reason I’m adding players at this late moment is to give us depth for the intrasquad games. We know we’ll be (COVID) tested three times a week and that there will be weekends with four or five kids out because of COVID, including cases, but more so because of contact quarantines; that’s 14 days and we have to plan for those.”
The depth is important, Glasco believes, because it points him to the primary goal he sets every year.
“We have one shot to get into the NCAA tournament and that’s to win the Sun Belt Conference, even though we have to deal with things out of our control like COVID.
This is the most talented team I’ve ever had and we’ll coach like it’s the NPF (pro league), but I know there’s going to be a week—which actually will end up being 14 days—where we’ll have to replace our lineup with players to help us win. We have a senior-laden team that wants to go to the World Series and, as coaches, we want to give them every chance to win.”
With the pieces that have been assembled and processes put into place to enhance those athletes’ development, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun softball should be winning for a long, long time.
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
*****
Here’s more information on Class of 2021 Signing Class as announced by Louisiana on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 as well as the six collegiate players who have transferred in since April, 2020.
Releases below were compiled and published by Matt Hebert, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications for Louisiana.
Ragin’ Cajuns Ink 10 for 2021 Signing Class on Signing Day
Louisiana Softball’s recruiting class gains top billing from Extra Inning Softball
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco announced on Wednesday (Nov. 11, 2020) the signing of 10 student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent who are members of the program’s highly touted 2021 recruiting class.
The contingent is part of the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class as ranked by Extra Inning Softball.
Eight of the individuals who signed with the Ragin’ Cajuns on Wednesday are featured in Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100, led by Samantha Landry (Mont Belvieu, Texas/Barbers Hill HS) who is rated as the nation’s fourth-best prospect.
A pair of Louisiana prep products are included in the group, most notably Maddie Hayden (West Monroe, La./West Monroe HS) who is the younger sister of former Ragin’ Cajuns great Haley Hayden.
Landry is one of six individuals to sign who are all natives of Texas and all competed for the highly successful travel ball squad, Houston Hotshots-Dumezich.
“This is a very deep and balanced group that we believe will play a huge part in our program over the next five years,” Glasco said. “We expect these student-athletes to compete for starting positions immediately and want to see many of them become starters for us over the next two seasons.”
Each future student-athlete will enroll at Louisiana beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.
Below are capsules for each signee:
Samantha Landry
RHP | Mont Belvieu, Texas | Barbers Hill High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 4
- Top-10 ranked recruit nationally by Extra Inning Softball, Landry is coming off back-to-back seasons with a sub-1.00 ERA for Barbers Hill High School.
- Collected 189 strikeouts in the pitcher’s circle during the 2019 season and earned honors at all levels (District MVP, First Team All-Greater Houston, 2019 TGCA All-State Team).
- Was a key performer last summer for Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich with 170 strikeouts recorded against elite competition at ASA 18U Nationals. Was selected to the Extra Inning Softball 18U All-Summer Team.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Samantha was our No. 1 recruiting target as soon as I was hired at Louisiana. We expect her to compete for the position of ace of our staff as a freshman due to her ability to throw hard, change speeds, and field her position well. She simply has proven to be a winner in the circle throughout her travel ball career.”
*****
Maddie Hayden
OF/UT | West Monroe, La. | West Monroe High School
Travel Team: Louisiana Bombers
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 15
- Younger sister of former Louisiana Softball standout Haley Hayden (2014-17). Was a slap hitter, but is beginning to show signs of power as evidenced by summer 2020 when she hit .575 and launched seven home runs for the Louisiana Bombers.
- Played shortstop for West Monroe (La.) High School and batted .500-plus all three seasons. As a freshman and sophomore totaled 20-plus stolen bases and piled up 50 swipes total during that time frame.
- After receiving first team all-district honors as a freshman in 2018, Hayden rose to District MVP as a sophomore in 2019 after posting a .588 average and finishing 28-for-28 in stolen bases.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Maddie has speed, power, a tremendous arm, and is a fierce competitor. She is one of the most special all-around athletes we have seen. Her abilities would allow her to play on the infield or outfield for us. She will compete to play here as soon as she arrives on campus.”
*****
Kayla Falterman
OF | The Woodlands, Texas | The Woodlands High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 39
- A two-time Class 6A All-State performer and three-time All-District 13-6A selection, Falterman collected 20-plus stolen bases each season and struck out only twice over 221 plate appearances through her sophomore season.
- Was hitting .500-plus for the second straight season and had already reached 15 stolen bases prior to the 2020 season being shut down.
- Last summer, hit .480 in the Texas Fastpitch League Championships tournament leading Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich to the championship and earning her Extra Inning Softball 18U All-Summer Team honors.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Kayla makes the players around her better, and her team better, because of her ability and willingness to do whatever is needed to win. She will bring great leadership abilities to our program. She gets exceptional reads in the outfield as a defender, and offensively plays the short game at a very high level.”
*****
Samantha Graeter
OF/UT | Spring, Texas | Oak Ridge High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 41
- A career .458 hitter heading into her senior season, Graeter is Oak Ridge High School’s reigning Offensive MVP and was a First Team All-District 15-6A selection in 2019.
- In the spring, she was hitting .519 with six home runs and had helped lead Oak Ridge to a No. 1 ranking in Texas’ Class 6A prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.
- Is a three-time national champion on the travel ball circuit: 12U PGF Premier, 12U ASA and 14U World Fastpitch. Last summer, batted .382 and helped lead Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich to its first-ever Texas Fastpitch League title and a runner-up finish at ASA Gold 18U.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Samantha is a very powerful athlete who has great speed to complement her power at the plate. She possesses a strong arm and can really cover a lot of ground in the outfield. She is that player that is not only determined to win – she expects to win.”
*****
Alexa Langeliers
IF | Keller, Texas | Keller High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 48
- Was a standout performer right away on the prep scene, hitting .522 as a freshman in 2018 to earn Dallas/Fort Worth Newcomer of the Year. Also named the district’s Utility Player of the Year.
- Followed up with a .492 average and 44 RBI during her sophomore campaign. Posted 61 total hits, fifth-most recorded in Keller High School’s history, which included 11 doubles, nine triples and five home runs.
- Sister of Shea Langeliers who was selected ninth overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2019 MLB Draft.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Alexa is a complete player who can hit for average, and also has tremendous power. Her speed allows her to be a great asset on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game. She has been of the most feared hitters in the country over the past few summers.”
*****
Laney Credeur
1B/3B | Old Mines, Mo. | Kingston K-14 School
Travel Team: St. Louis Chaos
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 51
- Born in Lafayette and grandparents currently reside in nearby Carencro, La.
- Has drawn comparisons to former Georgia All-American Alisa Goler, who was coached by Gerry Glasco when he was with the Bulldogs.
- Last summer, led travel ball team St. Louis Chaos in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Laney can really hit for power and we expect her to be a corner infielder. We believe that she has both the ability and the drive to develop into a very powerful and consistent hitter over her collegiate career and look forward to working with her.”
*****
Elia Hebel
3B | Albany, Texas | Albany High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 73
- After missing her sophomore season with a knee injury, Hebel returned to the diamond in spring 2020 and sported a .660 average with seven home runs and 28 RBI prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.
- Last spring’s figures were on pace to be a carbon copy of her freshman season in 2018. That season she hit .629 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI resulting in Newcomer of the Year honors and all-state recognition.
- During the 2020 summer ball season, Hebel sported a .366 average for Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich which included a .429 stretch during the Texas Fastpitch League in which she slugged seven home runs.
Glasco’s Point of View
“A corner infielder with tremendous power, Elia fits the prototype of a Ragin’ Cajuns softball player due to her ability to hit a lot of home runs. She possesses a good arm and is capable of playing either corner position well.”
*****
Kramer Eschete
OF | Brenham, Texas | Brenham High School
Travel Team: Houston Hotshots Premier-Dumezich
Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 89
- Extra Inning Softball report states that she is “a great athlete with game-changing speed and has a cannon for an arm”.
- Earned all-district, all-region and all-state honors following a prep debut season that included a .540 average and 13 stolen bases. Repeated an as an all-district selection in 2019 and earned the first of back-to-back team MVP honors.
- Was batting an impressive .596, and had reached double digits in stolen bases once again (11), before the 2020 season was halted.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Kramer can run, hit, hit for power, and defend. She possesses one of the most elite arms in the country. Her athleticism will play a critical role in allowing us to continue to play the type of defense that we have become known for in recent seasons.”
*****
Tyler Oubre
RHP | Destrehan, La. | Destrehan High School
Travel Team: Georgia Impact-Jeffreys
Extra Inning Softball Rating: No. 101
- Earned a first team spot on the 2019 Louisiana Class 5A All-State Team after a sophomore season in which she recorded 279 strikeouts and allowed only one run in 27 innings of work in the playoffs.
- Helped guide Destrehan (La.) High School to the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Louisiana Class 5A playoffs – the furthest the program advanced in school history.
- In the shortened 2020 season, Oubre managed to collect 82 strikeouts in just eight appearances.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Tyler is a spin and finesse pitcher who understands the importance of the spin and movement on her pitches. She possesses great intelligence in the circle and has shown a great ability to pick up things quickly. Her pitching style reminds me of former Georgia great Chelsea Wilkinson.”
*****
McKenzie Wittenberg
OF | Fort Myers, Fla. | Riverdale High School
Travel Team: Jersey Intensity
Extra Inning Softball Rating: No. 135
- Has competed at multiple positions for Riverdale (Fla.) High School including outfield, shortstop and pitcher.
- Top season was in 2019 in which she posted a .497 average, collected 46 hits and had 29 stolen bases, earning her a spot on The News-Press All-Area Softball team.
- As a freshman, received Riverdale’s Best Offensive Player award and helped lead the Raiders to a runner-up finish in the conference standings.
Glasco’s Point of View
“McKenzie is another recruit that found us and expressed her desire to be a part of our program. She is fast, has a good arm, and makes it known she has a strong desire to compete. Most importantly, she has a desire to improve and become a valuable part of a top tier program. I have always loved to coach these type of players.”
*****
Ragin’ Cajuns add pair of Elite 100 prospects to the nation’s top-ranked class
Nov. 17, 2020
The 2021 recruiting class for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball program was completed on Tuesday (Nov. 17, 2020) with the announcing of the signing of twins Jacquelyn Adams and Jessica Adams of Bryan (Texas) High School to a National Letter of Intent.
The duo joins the group of 10 future student-athletes announced on National Signing Day in comprising the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class as ranked by Extra Inning Softball and assembled by head coach Gerry Glasco and his coaching staff.
Both Jacquelyn and Jessica Adams were listed in Extra Inning Softball’s Elite 100, giving Louisiana a total of 10 members of its 2021 recruiting class on the exclusive list.
Louisiana’s 2021 recruiting class is headlined by Samantha Landry (Mont Belvieu, Texas/Barbers Hill HS), the nation’s fourth-best prospect and one of six individuals to sign from the highly successful Houston Hotshots-Dumezich travel ball squad, plus Maddie Hayden (West Monroe, La./West Monroe HS) who is the younger sister of former Ragin’ Cajuns great Haley Hayden.
The entire group will enroll at Louisiana beginning in the 2021-22 academic year.
Below are capsules for the Adams twins:
*****
Jacquelyn Adams
1B/C | Bryan, Texas | Bryan High School
Club Team: Impact Gold-Jackson
Extra Innings Softball Rank: No. 82
- Has competed in 89 games for Bryan High School. Career numbers include a .346 average, 40 runs scored, 61 RBI and 85 total hits.
- Twice named Defensive MVP (2018, 2019). In 2019, was a First Team All-District 14-6A selection and member of the All-Brazos Valley First Team
- Serving as Bryan High’s catcher, Jacquelyn has had the opportunity to serve as battery mate for her twin sister Jessica.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Jacquelyn gives us power and great intelligence at the catching position. She is a very mature, team-oriented player who we believe can help make our pitchers better and play a key role in their development.”
*****
Jessica Adams
RHP | Bryan, Texas | Bryan High School
Club Team: Impact Gold-Jackson
Extra Innings Softball Rank: No. 55
- Stars in the circle and at third base for Bryan High School. At the completion of her junior season, she had posted 47 wins and 414 strikeouts in the circle and 23 home runs and 85 RBI at the plate.
- An NFCA All-Region selection in 2018 and 2019 and Brazos Valley All-Decade Team member, Adams sported a .407 average and 15 home runs as a sophomore in 2019.
- A three-year varsity starter, Adams has earned numerous awards including District 18-5A Newcomer of the Year, District 14-6A Pitcher of the Year and Offensive MVP and Big Stick Award from Bryan HS.
Glasco’s Point of View
“Jessica is a down-ball pitcher who has a great ability to hit the bottom corners of the strike zone with great consistency. She has also proven to be a very powerful hitter, and consistently gets big hits in clutch moments.”
2021 LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS SOFTBALL SIGNING CLASS
- Jacquelyn Adams – 1B/C, Bryan, Texas (Bryan HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 82
- Jessica Adams – RHP, Bryan, Texas (Bryan HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 55
- Laney Credeur – 1B/3B, Old Mines, Mo. (Kingston K-14 School) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 51
- Kramer Eschete – OF, Brenham, Texas (Brenham HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 89
- Kayla Falterman – OF, The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 39
- Samantha Graeter – OF/UT, Spring, Texas (Oak Ridge HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 41
- Maddie Hayden – OF/UT, West Monroe, La. (West Monroe HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 15
- Elia Hebel – 3B, Albany, Texas (Albany HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 73
- Samantha Landry – RHP, Mont Belvieu, Texas (Barbers Hill HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 4
- Alexa Langeliers – IF, Keller, Texas (Keller HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 48
- Tyler Oubre – RHP, Destrehan, La. (Destrehan HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 101
- McKenzie Wittenberg – OF, Fort Myers, Fla. (Riverdale HS) – Extra Inning Softball Rank: No. 135
*****
Transfer Infusion: the 6 New Pickups
Here are the experienced half-dozen DI transfers that have been added to the Ragin’ Cajun roster:
Justice Milz to Join Louisiana Softball for the 2021 Season
Nov. 9, 2020
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco announced on Monday (Nov. 9, 2020) the addition of Justice Milz, who is transferring from Georgia, to the program’s roster for the 2021 season.
Milz joins fellow UGA transfer Ciara Bryan, whose addition to the roster was announced last Thursday (Nov. 5), in signing to complete her collegiate career at Louisiana. Like Bryan, she will be a senior utilizing the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to all spring sports participants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
👋 Join us in welcoming 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘻 to 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 Softball!
Georgia transfer gives Louisiana another veteran competitor on the 2021 roster. 🤟🥎
🔗 https://t.co/R1xoHh3H3p#GeauxCajuns ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/kQqDKqcO6T
— Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns® Softball (@RaginCajunsSB) November 9, 2020
The Kearney, Mo., product will strengthen the Ragin’ Cajuns depth in the infield, adding experience at first base and second base to the group. Milz recorded 309 putouts and delivered 168 assists on a .940-plus fielding percentage over three-plus seasons at Georgia.
She also adds Women’s College World Series experience as during a sophomore campaign (2018) in which she posted career-bests with a .372 average, 15 home runs and 62 RBI, she helped guide UGA to softball’s pinnacle destination.
The signing of Milz marks the sixth Division I transfer that Glasco brings to Louisiana in an effort to maintain the momentum the program built during the shortened 2020 season. She joins a group that includes Jade Gortarez (Arizona State), Vanessa Foreman (Arizona), Karly Heath (South Carolina), Jenna Kean (Arizona) and Ciara Bryan (Georgia).
Justice Milz (L/R, Infielder)
Classification | Senior
Hometown | Kearney, Mo.
Previous School | Georgia
High School | Kearney HS
Milz, the all-time batting average leader at Kearney (Mo.) High School at the completion of her prep career, quickly became a fixture in Georgia’s lineup. She went on to start each of the first 155 games she appeared in with the SEC-based Bulldogs through spring 2020.
After injury shortened her collegiate debut season in 2017, Milz went on to earn Third Team NFCA All-Southeast Region and Second Team All-SEC honors during the breakout 2018 season that ended at the WCWS. She finished the NCAA Tournament run with a .455 batting average, three home runs, three doubles and nine RBI.
Her final stat line from the sophomore campaign also included 44 runs, 71 total hits, a team-high six home runs and 23 RBI in SEC play, a team-leading 18 multiple-RBI games, and 21 multiple-hit performances. Milz ranked Top 15 nationally in RBI (62) and closed the season with 13-game hitting and on base streaks.
Softball America ranked Milz No. 36 in its Preseason Top 100 ranking for the 2019 season. She went on to hit .307 with seven home runs, 36 RBI and tallied 15 multi-hit games. Milz made 58 starts that season at various positions: 20 at first base, 26 at second base, seven in left field, and five as the designated player.
Milz appeared in 17 games, with nine of 12 starts as the designated player, during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.
Glasco’s Take
“Justice (Milz) brings to our roster another veteran, and talented athlete, who has proven over and over to be clutch in big game moments at the highest level of Division I softball.
As we prepare for a season with unprecedented challenges that may arise due to COVID-related protocols, we are attempting to arm our roster with a deep and experienced group of players who share the common goal of excelling, not only in the regular season, but also the postseason.
Justice provides all of these things for our program. She is an extremely talented player who has always been well-coached and understands the smallest of details that it takes to win in the biggest moments.
In Georgia’s 2018 run to the WCWS she delivered many key hits as the three-hole hitter in that deep postseason run. We believe she is exactly the type of experienced veteran competitor that will fit in with our veteran team this season.”
*****
Ciara Bryan Added to the 2021 Louisiana Softball Roster
Nov. 5, 2020
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco added a veteran outfielder and proven left-handed batter to the program’s 2021 roster on Thursday (Nov. 5, 2020) with the signing of Georgia graduate transfer Ciara Bryan.
A career .330-plus hitter, Bryan was an All-SEC and NFCA All-Region selection during her three-plus year stay at Georgia. Starring for Bulldogs since she was a freshman in 2017, Bryan appeared in 200 games (193 starts) and produced 50-plus hits, scored 30-plus runs and tallied 25-plus RBI in the last two complete seasons of competition (2018, 2019).
Most recently, Bryan led UGA with 11 home runs, 31 RBI, 33 hits, 39 runs, 74 total bases, an .860 slugging percentage and 15 stolen bases over a span of 28 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The outfielder’s 11 home runs co-led the SEC and ranked fourth nationally.
The Covington, Ga., product will be a senior when she suits up for the Ragin’ Cajuns in 2021, utilizing the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to all spring sports participants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
👋 Join us in welcoming 𝘊𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘉𝘳𝘺𝘢𝘯 to 𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗔 Softball!
Georgia transfer was one of the nation’s most dynamic hitters last spring. 🤟🥎
🔗 https://t.co/NYSYh6fwM1#GeauxCajuns ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/QYjNJprBwC
— Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns® Softball (@RaginCajunsSB) November 5, 2020
Bryan is the fifth Division I transfer to sign with Louisiana since the end of the 2020 season. She joins a group that includes Jade Gortarez (Arizona State), Vanessa Foreman (Arizona), Karly Heath (South Carolina) and Jenna Kean (Arizona).
Ciara Bryan (L/R, Outfielder)
Classification | Senior
Hometown | Covington, Ga.
Previous School | Georgia
High School | Newton HS
In her collegiate debut season, Bryan posted a .351 average which ranked Top 15 in the SEC. She split her 46 starts among the outfield (18), shortstop (14), designated player (12) and second base (2).
Bryan was an NFCA Third Team All-Southeast Region selection during a 2018 campaign in which finished with a .328 average, 34 runs scored, 59 base hits and an SEC-best seven triples. It was in this season that she made the complete transition to the outfield, playing 61 games in center field.
In 2019, Bryan was a second team All-SEC pick after hitting .317 with 11 home runs, five doubles, a team-leading five triples and 36 RBI. The triples tally ranked 25th nationally and second in the SEC.
Of the 33 hits that she collected in the shortened 2020 campaign, 17 of those went for extra bases (4 doubles, 2 triples, 11 home runs). Bryan led the Bulldogs in numerous statistical categories and started all but three games at the leadoff spot. Her 39 runs scored led the SEC by six, 31 RBI ranked 12th nationally, and fourth in the league, while the 74 total bases co-led the conference and ranked sixth in the country.
Bryan was a Region Player of the Year honoree and an All-American selection by FloSoftball and Premier Girls Fastpitch out of Newton (Ga.) High School. She was named the Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman following that with the Coaches Award as a sophomore and MVP as a junior.
She earned her undergraduate degree from UGA in communications studies in May 2020.
Glasco’s Take
“Ciara is a dynamic athlete with extremely rare speed and power. She is a mentally tough and clutch competitor.
She has played in the Women’s College World Series and has been developed by one of the most elite coaching staffs in the country.
She has proven to be successful on the field at the highest level, improving every year. Ciara was having an All-American season in the spring when COVID ended her season. Her impact will be huge on our program.”
*****
Louisiana Softball Welcomes Transfer Jenna Kean to the Program
June 10, 2020
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco added another left-handed batter, who is a veteran outfielder, to the program’s 2021 roster with the announcement on Wednesday (June 10, 2020) of the signing of Arizona transfer Jenna Kean.
A native of Los Alamitos, Calif., Kean has appeared in 110 games in her collegiate career, including 82 starts, over the past two-plus seasons at Arizona. She possesses the ability to slap, bunt, or hit away depending on the situation, and adds speed on the base path plus an excellent throwing arm.
Kean hit an impressive .353 over 12 appearances in the shortened 2020 season and started eight games in right field. One of the Wildcats’ top base-stealing threats, she has been successful in all but two of her 20 career attempts.
She is expected to have two seasons of eligibility remaining once she suits up for the Ragin’ Cajuns starting in 2021, as the NCAA granted an extra year of college eligibility to all spring sports participants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kean joins a list of recently added newcomers that includes Division I transfers Jade Gortarez (Arizona State), Vanessa Foreman (Arizona) and Karly Heath (South Carolina), junior college All-American Frankie Izard (Lake Land College) and Georgia high school standout Brinson Rogers (Statesboro HS).
Jenna Kean (L/R, Outfielder)
Classification | Junior
Hometown | Los Alamitos, Calif.
Previous School | Arizona
High School | Los Alamitos HS
Kean was a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school, ranked as the 44th best recruit in the country by FloSoftball. She hit .600 as a senior at Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School.
In club ball she competed for the Firecrackers, helping lead the team to a championship in the Colorado Sparkler. Kean also competed for the OC All-Stars in games played against Team USA and Team Mexico.
She made her collegiate debut in Tucson in 2018 and found her stride late in the season, starting 19 of the final 22 games in right field for the 11th-ranked Wildcats – a period in which she hit .320 (17-for-55). Kean delivered a 4-for-4 performance which included a double and two runs scored vs. North Dakota State in the Tucson Regional, one of her six multiple-hit games that season.
As a sophomore in 2019, Kean started 30-plus games for the second straight season and hit a then career-best .313 over 99 at bats in helping lead the Wildcats to the Women’s College World Series and a Top 10 finish. She produced nine multiple-hit games and led the team with seven steals in eight tries.
Before the 2020 season was halted in mid-March, she was off to career-bests in average (.353), on-base percentage (.400) and slugging percentage (.412).
Glasco’s Take
“Jenna (Kean) is a player who is extremely hard to find: she is an elite five-tool athlete with not just elite speed, but elite quickness. She reminds me a lot offensively of Keeli Milligan and could produce similar numbers if she can find a way into our everyday lineup.
She has played for some great coaches and consistently competed at the elite levels of competition. Her defense and throwing ability from the outfield have the potential to impact our team in a very positive way. Overall, she can really help our program both offensively and defensively.
I spoke extensively to Tony Rico, her former travel ball coach, and Rob Weil, her high school coach, and they both raved about her outstanding athletic ability.
Jenna was an individual we targeted early on in the summer and felt she was the most athletic player in the transfer portal. Our fans will absolutely enjoy watching how she plays the game with such a high level of skill.”
*****
Ragin’ Cajuns Collect Third D1 Transfer, Adding Karly Heath to 2021 Roster
May 26, 2020
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco announced on Tuesday (May 26, 2020) the addition of a third Division I transfer to the 2021 roster as Karly Heath, who competed at South Carolina the past two seasons, signed to join the program.
Heath, a native of North Augusta, S.C., gives Louisiana additional experience in both the pitching circle and the outfield. She saw time at both positions during her two-year stay with the SEC-member Gamecocks.
She is expected to have three seasons of eligibility remaining once she suits up for the Ragin’ Cajuns starting in 2021, as the NCAA granted an extra year of college eligibility to all spring sports participants due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Heath joins a list of recently added newcomers this spring that includes Division I transfers Jade Gortarez (Arizona State) and Vanessa Foreman (Arizona), junior college All-American Frankie Izard (Lake Land College) and Georgia high school standout Brinson Rogers (Statesboro HS).
Karly Heath (L/R, Utility/Pitcher)
Classification | Sophomore
Hometown | North Augusta, S.C.
Previous School | South Carolina
High School | North Augusta (S.C.) HS
Heath hit the ground running at South Carolina during her freshman season in 2019. She appeared in 44 games (with 21 starts) as an outfielder and hit .315 with five home runs and 16 RBI. She also appeared in 15 games as a pitcher, with 11 starts, and compiled a perfect 8-0 record with a 2.48 ERA while holding foes to a .179 batting average and surrendering only nine extra-base hits in 48 innings.
The highlight of her collegiate debut season came on April 23, 2019 when she was named SEC Freshman of the Week.
In 2020, Heath sported a 5-0 mark in the pitching circle to keep her collegiate mark unscathed (at 13-0).
Heath’s high school honors include: all-region five times, all-state three times, region player of the year three times, statewide player of the year and the Class 4A player of the year. She was also recognized as the Augusta Chronicle and Aiken Standard Softball Player of the Year four straight years and the Augusta Sports Council Player of the Year.
The left-handed hitter batted .517 with 11 home runs as a senior at North Augusta, to go along with a 14-1 record with 145 strikeouts in the circle.
While lettering in softball six years, she was also a member of the Beta Club, Spanish Club, Buddy Club, Teacher Cadet and Homecoming Court.
Competing for Georgia Impact, she faced fellow incoming transfer Vanessa Foreman at the 2018 Premier Girls Fastpitch 18-under National Championship.
Glasco’s Take
“Karly (Heath) is one of those rare athletes who possess the ability to win games not only in the circle, but with her offensive abilities that include speed on the base path and power from the left side. Her speed and size, to go along with a strong arm, makes her a very capable outfielder as well. She adds a multitude of depth and talent to our roster.
Karly has competed at the elite level of travel ball, helping lead the Georgia Impact organization to the coveted PGF 18-under national championship in 2018. During the stretch of that championship run she proved to be a tremendous hitter under pressure.
She shares our program’s desire to compete in the WCWS and compete for a national championship.”
*****
Glasco Introduces Two Additions to Louisiana Softball for 2021
April 27, 2020
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball head coach Gerry Glasco formally introduced on Monday the addition of two student-athletes to the 2021 roster, both having signed with the program in February.
Joining Louisiana next season will be graduate transfer infielder Jade Gortarez, who last played at Arizona State, and Georgia high school product Brinson Rogers, a pitcher/first baseman from Statesboro (Ga.) High School.
Jade Gortarez (R/R, Infielder)
Classification | Senior
Hometown | Riverside, Calif.
Previous School | Arizona State
High School | Hillcrest HS
Gortarez was a two-time All-Pac 12 selection and chosen as the team’s Defensive Player of the Year in her two seasons at Arizona State.
In her last season in Tempe (2019), she finished with a .347 average and recorded a second straight 50-plus hits campaign. She was a spark for ASU in the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional, tallying seven hits and seven RBI in four games played.
The Riverside, Calif., native, who starred at baseball in high school, began her collegiate career at Texas in 2017.
Gortarez is also an accomplished player with Team USA Baseball, most recently being selected to the 2018 Women’s National Team roster. In previous years, she helped lead the U.S. to a 6-1 overall record at the 2016 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s Baseball World Cup in Gijang, South Korea, a gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in Ajax, Ontario, Canada, to a silver medal at the 2014 Women’s World Cup of Baseball in Japan and to the title at the 2015 COPABE Pan American Games qualifier in the Dominican Republic.
Glasco’s Take
“Jade (Gortarez) provides us with an elite athlete who possesses an amazing skill set. She has both the ability to impact or change a game on either the defensive or offensive side of the ball. She has played at the elite levels of college softball, and also at the international level at shortstop for Team USA Baseball.”
Brinson Rogers (R/R, Pitcher/First Base)
Classification | Freshman
Hometown | Statesboro, Ga.
High School | Statesboro HS
Rogers has been ranked as the No. 60 high school prospect by FloSoftball and Extra Innings Softball. She was also listed among Softball America’s list of Top High School Players from Georgia, which is one of the biggest hotbeds for softball talent in the nation.
A varsity starter all four years of her prep career, she owns 417 career strikeouts through her work in the pitcher’s circle and was twice named region pitcher of the year.
She is also an accomplished player at the plate, averaging a school-record 11 home runs per season competing at Statesboro High School.
Last fall, with Rogers in the circle, the Statesboro Blue Devil softball team captured its first-ever fastpitch softball region title
Glasco’s Take: “Brinson is another great addition to our program. She is another one of the great pitching prospects to come out of the state of Georgia in recent years. I have followed her for several years, and I believe that her potential to develop into an elite college pitcher is what many feel makes her the top pitching prospect coming out of the Southeast. She brings size and strength to the circle, and throws the ball extremely hard.”