University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Danyele Gomez Named USA Softball NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
4/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAFAYETTE
– This week's USA Softball National Player of the Week calls
Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park her home.
Louisiana-Lafayette junior right fielder Danyele Gomez (Metairie, La.) followed up her first Sun Belt Player of the Week award of the season by being named this week's USA Softball National Player of the Week on Tuesday for her performance during the week of April 18-24. Gomez is the first Ragin' Cajuns player to be named a USA Softball National Player of the Week.
Gomez (.348, 6 doubles, 13 home runs, 44 RBI) finished the week with a .526 batting average (10-for-19) collecting two doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI as she vaulted her way into the team lead for home runs (13) and RBI (44). In the North Texas series sweep, Gomez hit .500 (6-for-12) with one double, two home runs and a team-high nine RBI.
"It's truly an honor and I feel privileged to be selected as this week's USA Softball National Player of the Week," Gomez said. "I've been playing with a lot of confidence lately and have been swinging the bat well which paid huge dividends for me last week. But, as usual my focus as well as our team's focus is still to accomplish our team goals and get better every game we play."
The
Metairie native blasted two, three-run home runs in last
Saturday's second game against NT as she recorded her third
multi-home run game of the season and tied her career-high
with six RBI. Her slugging percentage for the entire week
was 1.105 as she piled up 21 total bases in 19 at bats.
Gomez, an All-American candidate this season, went 8-for-11 with runners in scoring position (.727) and contributed nine 2-out RBI. She hit safely in each game that Louisiana-Lafayette played during the week as she extended her current hitting streak to seven games.
“We are thrilled and honored for this award,” said Louisiana-Lafayette co-head coach Michael Lotief. “I can't think of a more deserving athlete of this award. She excels on the softball field and in the classroom as a pre-med major.
"She is one of the best hitters in the country and she had one of the most incredible weekends for our team," Lotief added. "She had some mammoth home runs at opportune times. She is a hard working, humble kid who sums up what it is all about to be a Ragin' Cajun.”
Gomez is the first Louisiana-Lafayette player to win a national player of the week honor since the 2001 season when former All-American Alana Addison was named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Player of the Week on March 21, 2001.
The USA Softball National Player of the Week is designed to acknowledge outstanding athletic achievement by individuals on a weekly basis. Each recipient of the USA Softball National Player of the Week Award will receive an engraved plaque and will be national recognized for their accomplishments. A complete list of winners can be found on the USA Softball web site at www.usasoftball.com.
Gomez and the Ragin' Cajuns will be back in action on Wednesday, April 27 at Nicholls State for a 4 p.m. doubleheader in Thibodaux.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
