Ashley Brignac, daughter of Joseph and Tammy Brignac of River Ridge, is the Outstanding Graduate for the Fall 2011 semester at the University of ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ at Lafayette.
The exercise science major is the Outstanding Graduate for the College of Education.
Each semester, the Alumni Association names Outstanding Graduates from each of the university’s academic colleges. Other graduates honored this semester include: Elizabeth Satterly of Opelousas, Jean-Luc Hebert of Abbeville, Christian De Prins of Lafayette, Christopher Roby of Plano, Texas, Donna Guidry of Breaux Bridge, Kristen Colvin of Lafayette; and Matthew Roy of Jeanerette.
Brignac has maintained a 4.0 GPA during college and is a pitcher for the ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥â€™s Ragin’ Cajun softball team. She’s a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the Dean’s List and President’s List throughout her college career and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi.
She’s the recipient of several scholarships including the Catherine Moore Endowed Physical Education Scholarship, the Academic Excellence Scholarship and the TOPS Performance Award.
Brignac is the 2011 Capital One Academic All-American Player of the Year. She’s received numerous athletic accolades including: seven-time Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week, LSWA Pitcher of the Week, Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, All Regional Team and James J. Corbett Award Winner – Allstate Sugar Bowl.
In 2007 she was a member of the USA Junior Olympics softball team, which won the gold medal in the Pan American Games. That year, she was also named the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.
She has been involved in research projects with professors in the Kinesiology Department. As a result, she is a published author in the proceedings of the 2010 National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference.
After graduation, she plans to attend UL Lafayette one more semester to finish her senior year on the softball team. She ultimately plans to work in the sports medicine field.