FRISCO, Texas—Senior Shaelyn Sanders has been named the 2024 Southland Conference Softball "Pitcher of the Year", Freshman Alexis Dibbley has been named "Freshman of the Year", and head coach James Landreneau  the "Coach of the Year", the league announced the all-conference teams Monday prior to the start of the Southland Conference Championship, which begins Tuesday in Hammond.
 
Sanders, a native of Splendora, Texas posted a 19-9 overall record and 12-1 conference record, winning her first 10 consecutive SLC games before her only loss of the season.  Of her 12 SLC victories, seven were shutouts.  Sanders led the league in wins (12), ERA (0.82), complete games (8), shutouts (7), saves (3), and held conference opponents to a .191 batting average.  Sanders tossed 85.1 innings struck out 81 and allowed only 15 walks during league play. Sanders is the fifth Cowgirl to earn conference pitcher of the year honors and the first since Ashley Vallejo picked up the honor in 2022. 
 
Dibbley, a native of Moss Bluff, La. is a two-way player, playing both in the outfield and pitcher.  The rookie batted .338 with 23 hits, eight doubles, 12 walks, in conference games.  In the circle, she posted a 3-0 conference record with a 2.59 ERA in 24.1 innings with eight strikeouts.  Dibbley is only the second McNeese player to earn conference freshman of the year honors.  All-American Erika Piancastelli earned the honor in 2015.
 
Landreneau guided the Cowgirls to their third consecutive regular season title this season and the fourth overall under his guidance.  The Cowgirls finished the regular season with an overall 38-18 record and 22-2 conference record. 
 
Under Landreneau, McNeese has won at least 30 games in seven full seasons out of the eight years he has been head coach.  He has compiled a conference record of 140-37 and a career 296-159 record.  The honor is his third conference coach of the year honor.  He also earned the honor in 2017 and 2022. 
 
Both Sanders and Dibbley were also named to the first team along with sophomore first baseman Corine Poncho and senior second baseman Mariana Torres.  Freshman catcher Bella Perez, junior third baseman Rylie Bouvier, and junior designated player Crislyne Moreno were named to the second team.  It's the second time Torres, Bouvier and Moreno have made the All-SLC team in their careers.
 
Poncho (Basile, La.) has a conference high 15 homeruns with six coming in conference games.  Poncho batted .329 with a .671 slugging percent, 25 hits, 22 runs scored, 18 RBI, and a .987 fielding percent during league play.
 
Torres (Pflugerville, Texas) batted .333 with 18 hits, six doubles, one triple, 14 RBI, and a .964 fielding percent in conference games.
 
Perez (Houston, Texas) moved into the starting lineup one month into the season.  She produced a .340 batting average with 16 hits, five doubles, two homeruns, 14 RBI with a 1.000 fielding percent and threw out eight of 10 baserunners in conference games.
 
Bouvier (Santa Fe, Texas) had a conference .346 average with 18 hits, 12 RBI, three doubles, two triples, nine stolen bases and a .921 fielding percent.
 
Moreno (Convers, Texas) hit .271 with 13 hits, 11 runs scored, five doubles, 13 RBI with a .971 fielding percent in conference games.
 
 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Victoria Altamirano, UIW
HITTER OF THE YEAR: Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Shenita Tucker, Lamar
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
COACH OF THE YEAR: James Landreneau, McNeese
 
FIRST TEAM
C – Bailey Krolczyk, Southeastern
1B – Corine Poncho, McNeese
2B – Mariana Torres, McNeese
SS – Chloe Magee, Southeastern
3B - Maddison Guillen, UIW
OF – Reagan Heflin, Nicholls
OF – Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
OF – Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
DP – Audrey Greely, Southeastern
P – Cera Blanchard, Southeastern
P – Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
UT – Victoria Altamirano, UIW
 
SECOND TEAM
C – Bella Perez, McNeese
1B – Lexi Johnson, Southeastern
2B – Ryleigh Mata, UIW
SS – Baylee Lemons, UIW
3B – Rylie Bouvier, McNeese
OF – Jillian Guiterrez, UIW
OF – Abby Anderson, Nicholls
OF – Cam Goodman, Southeastern
DP – Crislyne Moreno, McNeese
P – Primrose Aholelei, A&M-Corpus Christi
P – Ellie DuBois, Southeastern
UT – Haylie Savage, HCU