Gomez and McMurtry Earn All-American Accolades

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - For the fifth straight season at least one player from Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Team.

Senior third baseman Becky McMurtry and freshman outfielder Danyele Gomez were each named to collegiate softball's most prestigious list as announced in the opening ceremonies for the 2003 Women's College World Series here a the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium.

The selections were the 31st and 32nd in UL Lafayette softball history and since 1989.

UL Lafayette has had at least one All-American in 14 of the last 15 seasons.

For McMurtry the award will be added to the list of crown jewels that scatter her four-year career.

The North Platte, Neb., native was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team as an at large selection. This season's selection marked McMurtry's second in a Cajuns uniform and the third of her prolific four-year career.

She joins current Cajuns head coach Stefni Lotief as one of several players in Louisiana-Lafayette history to be named an All-American more than once while playing for the Cajuns.

McMurtry, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and All-Sun Belt First Team member, is currently hitting .409 - the second straight season that her batting average is above .400. She has a .799 slugging percentage to go along with 14 home runs, 16 doubles, 51 RBI and a team-high 58 runs scored.

Gomez's selection comes as no surprise. She was named to the Third Team as an outfielder directly voted on to the team.

The Metairie native, not recruited out of high school, has proven to be a gem of a find for the Cajuns coaching staff.

Gomez, a true freshman from Cabrini High School, established a new single-season home run record and currently has 19 dingers. She bested the former single-season mark of 16 set by former All-American Alana Addison in 2002.

Gomez is the Cajuns RBI leader with 60 and sports a .751 slugging percentage. She ranks in the Top 5 nationally in both home runs and runs batted in per game.

She was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and was a member of the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team.

The Cajuns two selections to the All-America Team marks the ninth time in program history that more than one player was named to the team.

Since Lotief took over the program in 2001, the Cajuns have received four All-America honors. This season marked the first time under Lotief that more than one player was named.

The Ragin' Cajuns will open play at the 2003 Women's College World Series Thursday at 6:30 p.m. live on ESPN against No. 3 national seed and USA Softball Player of the Year Cat Osterman at Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium.

2003 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Team

First Team