Louisiana Softball Adds Pitcher Sage Hoover to the 2025 Roster

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball head coach Alyson Habetz announced on Thursday (July 25) the addition of pitcher Sage Hoover (Edgewood, Texas) to the program's roster for the 2025 season.

Hoover was the 2022 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and most recently competed at Texas Tech. She has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

"I am delighted to have Sage (Hoover) join our Ragin' Cajuns Softball family," Habetz said. "She is a proven talent in the circle. Sage has the exceptional ability of spinning the ball and commanding different levels of the strike zone.

"She also possesses a competitive spirit that can't be taught," Habetz added. "Under the tutelage of pitching coach Shelbi Sunseri, I believe that Sage's best years are still ahead as she competes in a Ragin' Cajuns jersey."

Hoover posted double digits in victories, totaling 25 triumphs, and accumulated 100-plus strikeouts, netting 276 punchouts, over the first two seasons of her collegiate career split between Northwestern State and Texas Tech.

Her impact on the collegiate scene was immediate, leading the conference in strikeouts (175) at a rate of 9.3 per seven innings in claiming Southland Conference Freshman of the Year honors at NSU in 2022. Hoover had the most strikeouts by a Lady Demons pitcher since 2007 and became the third player in program history to win the award and first since 2002.

The rookie campaign saw Hoover finish 11-7 with a 2.56 ERA and a .200 opposing average, the lowest overall mark in the conference. She had 12 appearances with seven or more strikeouts, reaching double figures on six occasions, and threw 11 complete games with the Lady Demons winning nine of those outings.

Hoover transferred to Texas Tech for the 2023 season and promptly tallied a team-leading three shutouts and 101 strikeouts over 100.0 innings of work. She pinned opponents to a .218 batting average and had five or more strikeouts in nine contests.

The Red Raiders most effective pitcher in 2023, Hoover appeared in 31 games (14 starts) and led the team with a 2.45 ERA and a 14-3 record.

The Edgewood, Texas product took a redshirt during the 2024 season.

Hoover was named the TSWA Class 3A and East Texas Player of the Year after her senior season at Rains (Texas) High School in which she posted a perfect 24-0 record and miniscule 0.32 ERA on the way to a Texas 3A State Championship. She amassed an impressive 47-2 record with more than 500 strikeouts in three high school seasons.

Her travel teams placed first in the 16u University of Texas Team Camp Championship and USSAA Top Gun Invitational in 2019 and had top three finishes in the 16u Top Club Nationals and TFL Championship.

The 2025 season marks the first for Louisiana under Habetz's guidance. A celebrated Ragin' Cajuns student-athlete and renowned softball coach, she was named the fifth head coach in Louisiana Softball's storied history on June 25, 2024.

A native of nearby Crowley, Louisiana, Habetz ascends to the head coach ranks in her hometown area of the Acadiana region. A basketball and softball player for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1990-95, she returns to where her impactful contributions to women's athletics began.

Louisiana Softball season tickets are available for purchase online at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Fans can also support the softball student athletes, and invest in the program's future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).

ABOUT LOUISIANA
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball program's rich tradition includes six Women's College World Series appearances, eight NCAA Super Regional berths and 33 NCAA Regional appearances which ranks as seventh-most in NCAA history.

Louisiana (45-19, 22-2 SBC in 2024), the five-time reigning Sun Belt Conference regular season champions, made its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance this spring which was highlighted by a national seed (No. 13) and host site at Lamson Park.

FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.

Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

- www.RaginCajuns.com -

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Louisiana Softball Adds Pitcher Sage Hoover to the 2025 Roster

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