Louisiana Places Five on NFCA All-Central Region Softball Team

LAFAYETTE – The No. 13 national seed Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball team placed five (5) individuals on the 2024 NFCA All-Central Region Team, the association announced on Saturday, May 18.

Louisiana's representation included Sam Landry (pitcher) on the first team, Mihyia Davis (outfield) on the second team and Victoria Valdez (catcher), Sam Roe (first base) and Brooke Ellestad (third base) as third team selections.

The NFCA's all-region awards honor softball student-athletes from the association's 10 regions with first, second and third team selections. NFCA member head coaches from each respective region nominated student-athletes and voted for the teams.

The entire Ragin' Cajuns contingent is now eligible for selection to the 2024 NFCA Division I All-America team which will be announced on Wednesday, May 29 via NFCA.org.

Davis, a first team selection and All-American in 2023, earned all-region honors for the second straight season. Landry collected her first all-region accolade and becomes the first Cajuns pitcher to reach first team status since Summer Ellyson in 2021.

Valdez, Roe and Ellestad each received all-region recognition for the first time in their collegiate careers.

Louisiana has had at least one player on an all-region team in every year awards have been distributed dating back to 1988. It's the 16th straight round of all-region awards the program produced multiple honorees.

Louisiana's five selections tied top-ranked Texas for second-most in the NFCA's Central Region, trailing only Oklahoma's eight.

The current group's selection increases Louisiana's all-time total number of all-region selections to 147.

Landry posted 10 wins against the Top 75 RPI in the regular season and entered NCAA postseason play with career-highs in wins (24) and strikeouts (158). Davis, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, batted .421 in non-conference play against the No. 1 non-conference strength of schedule and reached 70 hits a second straight year, currently at 84 hits which is eight shy of the program's single-season record (92, Danyele Gomez).

Valdez grabbed hold of starting catcher duties limiting to foes to only six steals in SBC play and 29 overall in regular season action while generating a team-high tying nine home runs through the SBC Tournament.

Roe was UL's steadiest bat in the regular season batting .325 overall and .333 in Sun Belt play and produced 12 multiple-hit games and 10 multiple-RBI games. Ellestad's debut season with the Cajuns was highlighted by a .474 average and 34 RBI during conference play, with her overall RBI total (47) leading the way into the NCAA postseason.

NFCA All-Central Region First Team
Sam Landry (Jr., P, Mont Belvieu, Texas)

NFCA All-Central Region Second Team
Mihyia Davis (So., OF, Lovelady, Texas)

NFCA All-Central Region Third Team
Victoria Valdez (So., C, Alvin, Texas)
Sam Roe (Jr., 1B, Destin, Fla.)
Brooke Ellestad (Jr., 3B, Kimberly, Wis.)

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 13 national seed Louisiana meets Baylor at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 in the winner's bracket final of the NCAA Lafayette Regional at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.

The Ragin' Cajuns (43-17) and Bears (33-20) face off for the driver's seat spot in the NCAA Lafayette Regional – the winner of Saturday's contest securing the first spot in Championship Sunday and moving within one win of the NCAA Super Regional round.

Tickets for the contest can be purchased at RaginCajuns.com/Tickets. For more information, including ticketing and parking, for the NCAA Lafayette Regional fans can visit Ragincajuns.Com/SBregional.

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- www.RaginCajuns.com -

Louisiana Places Five on NFCA All-Central Region Softball Team

Players Mentioned

Mihyia Davis

Brooke Ellestad

Sam Landry

Sam Roe

Victoria Valdez

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