LAKE CHARLES—The four-peat Southland Conference regular season softball champions, McNeese will begin practice at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5 in preparation for the 2026 season.

Head coach James Landreneau enters 14^th overall season with the program and 10th season as head coach.  The four-time SLC coach of the year enters the season with a 335-179 overall record and 163-41 conference record.

Landreneau and his staff return 17 players from the 2025 squad that posted a 41-20 overall record and 23-4 conference record.  Maddie Taylor (SLC Pitcher of the Year), Kassidy Chance (SLC Freshman of the Year) and Jada Muñoz (NFCA All-Region) are the top returnees.

Taylor posted an 18-7 overall record and an 11-1 record as a rookie last season.  She led the pitching staff in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and appearances.

Chance led the team in stolen bases and was second on the team in hits, runs scored, and walks.

Muñoz led the team in homeruns, doubles, runs scored, RBI, walks, and slugging percent.

Also returning to the team is Corine Poncho who sat out the 2025 season.  Poncho was a first team All-SLC selection in 2024 and led the Cowgirls in home runs, total bases, RBI, runs scored, walks, slugging percent, on base percent, and fielding percent.

Nine newcomers will enter their first season as a Cowgirl that includes graduate transfer Maddie Weeks (Southern Miss) and Rylee Cloud (Arkansas) .

McNeese will begin its season against the 2025 World Series Runners-Up on Feb. 5 in the first game of the Twisted Vines Bayou Bash.

2026 McNeese Softball Practice Schedule (Jan. 5-18)
Mon., Jan. 5    9 a.m.
Tue., Jan. 6      9 a.m.
Wed., Jan. 7    10 a.m.
Thu., Jan. 8     1 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 9-11  OFF
Mon., Jan. 12  9 a.m.
Tue., Jan. 13    1 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 14  9 a.m. (Morning Practice); 2:30 p.m. (Afternoon Practice)
Thur., Jan 15   2:30 (Intrasquad)
Fri., Jan. 16     9 a.m.
Sat., Jan. 17     1 p.m. (Intrasquad)
Sun., Jan. 18   OFF