University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Burger, Leleux Earn SBC Freshman Of The Year Honors For @RaginCajunsTRK
2/28/2019 9:56:00 PM | Track and Field
Duo combined for three individual titles at last week's SBC Indoor
NEW ORLEANS – After combining for three individual titles for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field team at last week's Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships, Louisiana's Hannes Burger and Reagann Leleux each earned Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year honors, in a vote by the league's head coaches and released on Thursday.
Â
The duo helped Louisiana to its best performance in recent years, with the men's team finishing fourth overall in the nine-team field with 82 points. The Ragin' Cajuns women's team, bolstered by individual titles from Leleux and Shalei Matthews, secured its best finish since 2015 finishing eighth overall with 50 points in the 12-team field.
Â
Burger, the third Ragin' Cajuns member to earn SBC Male Freshman of the Year honors joining Justin Arceneaux (2007) and Sander Maes (2012), claimed both the 3,000-meters (8:24.25) and 5,000-meters (14:42.68) at the SBC Championships. Burger, who added a sixth-place finish in the Mile Run, finished as the Sun Belt's Male Top Scorer in the two-day event with 23 points.
Â
Leleux, the 2019 women's indoor champion in the pole vault, cleared 12-6 ¼ in her inaugural conference meet and became the Ragin' Cajuns first SBC Indoor champion since Kaitlyn Moreau (pentathlon) and Kelci Lyons (800 meters) in 2015. The New Iberia native and became the first female Ragin' Cajuns member to earn Freshman of the Year notice.
Â
Leleux and Burger joined Louisiana teammates and SBC champions Dominique Williams (men's weight throw) and Matthews (women's triple jump) as first-team All-Sun Belt Conference performers.
Â
Five other members – Kyle Baudoin (men's pole vault), John Joseph (men's triple jump), Graham Sokol (men's weight throw), Kimmie Rushford (women's pole vault) and Juliette Smith (women's pentathlon) all received third-team All-Sun Belt honors for Louisiana after earning third-place finishes in their respective events.
Â
Louisiana will officially open its outdoor season on Saturday, March 9, when it travels to Lake Charles for the McNeese Cowboy Relays.
Â
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsTRK), Facebook (Ragin' Cajuns TRK) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsTRK) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Track and Field/Cross Country.
Â
2019 SUN BELT CONFERENCE INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Men's Track Most Outstanding Performer
Erik Martinsson, UTA
Â
Men's Field Most Outstanding Performer
Ben Collerton, Texas State
Â
Men's Freshman of the Year
Hannes Burger, Louisiana
Â
Men's Newcomer of the Year
Jermie Walker, Arkansas State
Â
Men's Coach of the Year
John Sauerhage, UTA
Â
Women's Track Most Outstanding Performer
Tramesha Hardy, Texas State
Â
Women's Field Most Outstanding Performer
Emilie Berge, South Alabama
Â
Women's Freshman of the Year
Reagann Leleux, Louisiana
Â
Women's Newcomer of the Year
Leslie Romero, Texas State
Â
Women's Coach of the Year
Jody Stewart, Texas State
Â
2019 All-Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Teams (Louisiana honorees)
MEN'S
First Team
Hannes Burger, Louisiana
Dominique Williams, Louisiana
Â
Third Team
Kyle Baudoin, Louisiana
John Joseph, Louisiana
Graham Sokol, Louisiana
Â
WOMEN'S
First Team
Reagann Leleux, Louisiana
Shalei Matthews, Louisiana
Â
Third Team
Kimmie Rushford, Louisiana
Juliette Smith, Louisiana
   Â
Â
Â
The duo helped Louisiana to its best performance in recent years, with the men's team finishing fourth overall in the nine-team field with 82 points. The Ragin' Cajuns women's team, bolstered by individual titles from Leleux and Shalei Matthews, secured its best finish since 2015 finishing eighth overall with 50 points in the 12-team field.
Â
Burger, the third Ragin' Cajuns member to earn SBC Male Freshman of the Year honors joining Justin Arceneaux (2007) and Sander Maes (2012), claimed both the 3,000-meters (8:24.25) and 5,000-meters (14:42.68) at the SBC Championships. Burger, who added a sixth-place finish in the Mile Run, finished as the Sun Belt's Male Top Scorer in the two-day event with 23 points.
Â
Leleux, the 2019 women's indoor champion in the pole vault, cleared 12-6 ¼ in her inaugural conference meet and became the Ragin' Cajuns first SBC Indoor champion since Kaitlyn Moreau (pentathlon) and Kelci Lyons (800 meters) in 2015. The New Iberia native and became the first female Ragin' Cajuns member to earn Freshman of the Year notice.
Â
Leleux and Burger joined Louisiana teammates and SBC champions Dominique Williams (men's weight throw) and Matthews (women's triple jump) as first-team All-Sun Belt Conference performers.
Â
Â
Louisiana will officially open its outdoor season on Saturday, March 9, when it travels to Lake Charles for the McNeese Cowboy Relays.
Â
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsTRK), Facebook (Ragin' Cajuns TRK) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsTRK) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Track and Field/Cross Country.
Â
2019 SUN BELT CONFERENCE INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Men's Track Most Outstanding Performer
Erik Martinsson, UTA
Â
Men's Field Most Outstanding Performer
Ben Collerton, Texas State
Â
Men's Freshman of the Year
Hannes Burger, Louisiana
Â
Men's Newcomer of the Year
Jermie Walker, Arkansas State
Â
Men's Coach of the Year
John Sauerhage, UTA
Â
Women's Track Most Outstanding Performer
Tramesha Hardy, Texas State
Â
Women's Field Most Outstanding Performer
Emilie Berge, South Alabama
Â
Women's Freshman of the Year
Reagann Leleux, Louisiana
Â
Women's Newcomer of the Year
Leslie Romero, Texas State
Â
Women's Coach of the Year
Jody Stewart, Texas State
Â
2019 All-Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Teams (Louisiana honorees)
MEN'S
First Team
Hannes Burger, Louisiana
Dominique Williams, Louisiana
Â
Third Team
Kyle Baudoin, Louisiana
John Joseph, Louisiana
Graham Sokol, Louisiana
Â
WOMEN'S
First Team
Reagann Leleux, Louisiana
Shalei Matthews, Louisiana
Â
Third Team
Kimmie Rushford, Louisiana
Juliette Smith, Louisiana
   Â
Â
Players Mentioned
Quannas White Media Availability (Feb 19, 2026)
Friday, February 20
Dorian Finister and De'Vion Lavergne Media Availability (Feb 19, 2026)
Friday, February 20
Garry Brodhead Media Availability (Feb 18, 2026)
Thursday, February 19
Matt Deggs Media Availability (Feb 16, 2026)
Monday, February 16

















