Former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns pitcher Alyssa Denham will transfer to become an Arizona Wildcat.
Denham confirmed the news in a text message to JWOS late Friday. She spent one season in a Ragin Cajuns uniform in 2017 and was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.
In her sole season in Lafayette, Denham posted a 2.27 ERA and a 15-2 win-loss record, with eighty strikeouts in 129.2 innings of work in the circle. Opponents hit just .205 against her on the year. Following the season, Denham was named the conference’s freshman of the year, as well as a top 25 finalist for national Division 1 freshman of the year. She was named to the all-conference first-team and earned an all-state honorable mention.
Denham is the sceond big-name player to transfer out of Lafayette following the Michael Lotief saga that saw the longtime Cajuns coach fired amidst allegations of misconduct. Upon the hiring of Gerry Glasco as the program’s new head coach, the first-year head coach reversed the athletic administration’s previous controversial decision and elected to grant a full release to any player who decided to transfer to another program.
At Arizona, Denham joins a staff shepherded by program legend and first-year pitching coach Taryne Mowatt, who accepted the position earlier this fall. The Wildcats posted a 1.45 team ERA in 2017, but with all-American Danielle O’Toole, who graduated in May.
