2026 Softball Offseason

[Reality Check]

In both 2025 and 2026, the Cajuns won 29 games. In 2025, they went 14-10 in conference and in 2026, 11-13 in conference. From winning 29 games to 40 games is a HUGE leap.

I think it all depends on what kind of teams Habetz chooses to schedule out of conference. Does she choose a tough schedule against a few P4 schools hoping to get a couple of wins in order to boost the teams RPI? Or, does she choose to play a much easier schedule to rack up more wins?

The Cajuns will play 56 games in 2027. 24 games will be conference games. If they go 12-12 in conference, they will have to go 28-4 in out of conference games to get to 40 wins.

The Cajuns will play LSU twice. And, don't forget, Oklahoma is coming to Lampson Park for two games. Chances are, Cajuns go 0-4 in those games. So, the Cajuns will have to go 28-0 in the remaining out of conference games. No matter how weak the schedule, that would be a difficult task. Remember, last year, the Cajuns lost to a SWAC team for the first time in program history.

Last year, the Cajuns were simply horrible on the road. Unless they find a way to play better away from Lampson Park, especially in conference games, racking up 40 wins will be very difficult.

As fans, we got accustomed to, and expected, at least 40 wins a season, if not 50. The last two years, the Cajuns have not reached 30 wins. So, maybe 30 is the magic number and not 40.

We had a much talented roster back when the program was annually winning 40 games. Nowadays, we basically have a roster of second and third stringers with an occasional first stringer on the roster. It's just the way things are in these times of NIL. The coaches at ULM, Marshall, Southern Miss, etc. seem better at getting their mediocre players to play better than our mediocre players. This appears to be where Alyson is lacking. Her rah-rah coaching approach just doesn't seem to resonate with players. If I was Alyson, I would try to gain insight on what the successful Sunbelt coaching staffs are doing and emulate their system.

[Vobserver]

I disagree with most of this. Last year we won 26 games at home and at neutral sites . We lost 10 road games in conference, most to teams not as good as us. If we just split our conference road games and maintain the rest of last year's performance, we will have 34 wins, even if our non conference record remains the same.

Our non conference road record was 1-7. Even getting that to 4-4, we get to 37 wins. 40is certainly in reach, though very difficult.

[Turbine]

She will not be let go. She has a 450K buyout. They don't have the money to do that. She will be at UL another 3 seasons unless she leaves on her own.

Those huge buyouts are not always needed to hire quality staff.

So what?... if they are hired away.

I don't understand why they automatically included, and always inflated.

[Roarman]

I disagree with most of this. Last year we won 26 games at home and at neutral sites . We lost 10 road games in conference, most to teams not as good as us. If we just split our conference road games and maintain the rest of last year's performance, we will have 34 wins, even if our non conference record remains the same.

Our non conference road record was 1-7. Even getting that to 4-4, we get to 37 wins. 40is certainly in reach, though very difficult.

If you disagree with most of what I wrote, let's make a friendly little wager. I will bet you $100 the Cajuns do not win 40 games in 2027.

[Vobserver]

Oh, I don't think we will win 40. I do think we have enough talent everywhere but in the coaches office to do so. [And maybe in the circle, but then who is responsible for that?]

[Headcase33]

They will go 30-26.

[JMV Just My View]

We had a much talented roster back when the program was annually winning 40 games. Nowadays, we basically have a roster of second and third stringers with an occasional first stringer on the roster. It's just the way things are in these times of NIL. The coaches at ULM, Marshall, Southern Miss, etc. seem better at getting their mediocre players to play better than our mediocre players. This appears to be where Alyson is lacking. Her rah-rah coaching approach just doesn't seem to resonate with players. If I was Alyson, I would try to gain insight on what the successful Sunbelt coaching staffs are doing and emulate their system.

She was under a successful system as a coach for 25 years and as a player for 3 or 4 years, and 2 on her own. Shouldn't that be enough experience to develop her own system instead of trying to copy another coach's system?

[Turbine]

She was under a successful system as a coach for 25 years and as a player for 3 or 4 years. Shouldn't that be enough experience to develop her own system instead of trying to copy another coach's system?

Yes it should be enough time.

Yet, she had no real desire to be a head coach someday and had to be begged.

I can picture her not coming up with her own system beforehand

[JMV Just My View]

The off-season grade for our coaching staff is yet to be fully determined, but on paper it is a D at best this year. Both players they have signed from the portal have potential, but that just means they haven't accomplished anything yet at the D1 level. The recruiting class also has potential, but the same caveat applies to them. There are still a few good players left in the portal, but the recruiting philosophy of our staff seems to preclude considering accomplished players from lower-level D1 conferences or from D2.

As a fan, I am willing to give coach Habetz one more year. To use a softball analogy, the count so far is 0-2; three strikes and she is out.

At worst, we need to win 40 games next year. For our program, that is a mediocre season. Except for the cancelled 2020 season, the Cajuns have won 40 or more games every season this century until Habetz arrived. The team has won fewer than 30 games [not counting 2020] only 7 times in the 45 years the program has been in existence. The last one before Habetz took over was in 1988.

63 Catchers left in the portal, and 109 Pitchers left in the portal. Out of those, maybe 2, in my opinion, could help us. One of those might be signing with St. John's today.

[Roarman]

Oh, I don't think we will win 40. I do think we have enough talent everywhere but in the coaches office to do so. [And maybe in the circle, but then who is responsible for that?]

It's all going to come down to pitching. We have one experienced pitcher coming in who will need to cut her era in half to be successful. All of the other pitchers are projects.

Maybe the freshman pitcher will be another Jordan Wallace. Remember, Wallace won her first 21 games as a freshman. Unfortunately, chances are that ain't happening.

2027 will prove just how good ( or bad) of a pitching coach Kyle is. If he doesn't coach them up, it's highly unlikely the Cajuns will score enough runs to make up for the runs the pitchers will give up.

[JMV Just My View]

The off season grade for our coaching staff is yet to be fully determined, but on paper it is a D at best this year. Both players they have signed from the portal have potential, but that just means they haven't accomplished anything yet at the D1 level. The recruiting class also has potential, but the same caveat applies to them. There are still a few good players left in the portal, but the recruiting philosophy of our staff seems to preclude considering accomplished players from lower level D1 conferences or from D2.

As a fan, I am willing to give coach Habetz one more year. To use a softball analogy, the count so far is 0-2; three strikes and she is out.

At worst we need to win 40 games next year. For our program that is a mediocre season. Except for the cancelled 2020 season, the Cajuns have won 40 or more games every season this century until Habetz arrived. The team has won fewer than 30 games [not counting 2020] only 7 times in the 45 years the program has been in existence. The last one before Habetz took over was in 1988.

I grade it an F. Very disappointing summer. The staff needs to be way more proactive in getting players anyway possible.

[Vobserver]

63 Catchers left in the portal, and 109 Pitchers left in the portal. Out of those, maybe 2, in my opinion, could help us. One of those might be signing with St. John's today.

The pitcher or the catcher?

[JMV Just My View]

Yes it should be enough time.

Yet, she had no real desire to be a head coach someday and had to be begged.

I can picture her not coming up with her own system beforehand

Maybe Maggard can call Earlywhine.

[JMV Just My View]

The pitcher or the catcher?

Pitcher.

[Vobserver]

It's all going to come down to pitching. We have one experienced pitcher coming in who will need to cut her era in half to be successful. All of the other pitchers are projects.

Maybe the freshman pitcher will be another Jordan Wallace. Remember, Wallace won her first 21 games as a freshman. Unfortunately, chances are that ain't happening.

2027 will prove just how good ( or bad) of a pitching coach Kyle is. If he doesn't coach them up, it's highly unlikely the Cajuns will score enough runs to make up for the runs the pitchers will give up.

I agree with this. We would need to increase our scoring by at least 2 runs per game to get to 40 wins, and that is assuming that our pitching is as good as last season.