FRISCO, Texas – McNeese senior pitcher Whitney Tate is the 2023 Southland Conference Softball Student-Athlete of the Year, the league announced Wednesday. The announcement comes along with the release of the academic all-conference teams.
Tate carried a 3.90 grade point average in biology with a pre-medical track while also earning First-team All-Southland and All- Southland Tournament honors. Tate led the Cowgirls in ERA, innings pitched, and shutouts, and was second on the team in wins and strikeouts. She tossed three-one hitters and helped McNeese win a school record 47 games on the way to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament Regional Final appearance.
All nine Southland softball institutions were represented among the 2023 Southland Academic All-Conference teams with regular-season and tournament champion McNeese leading the way with six honorees. HCU had five all-academic selections, followed by Northwestern State with four selections and Southeastern with three.
Seven members of the Southland All-Conference Team were automatic qualifiers to the all-academic first team.
The All-Academic teams are voted on by head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance staff members from each Southland Conference institution. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution to qualify for All-Academic selection, and have competed in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests on the season, excluding pitchers.
FIRST TEAM
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Sam Bean |
Lamar |
Sr. |
3B |
Rockwall, Texas |
4.00 |
Exercise Science |
| Makenzie Chaffin |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
DP |
Bossier City, La. |
4.00 |
Biology |
| AB Garcia * |
HCU |
R-Fr. |
OF |
Cypress, Texas |
3.20 |
Accounting |
| Chloe Gomez * |
McNeese |
Jr. |
DP |
Spring, Texas |
3.27 |
Health & Human Performance |
| Melise Gossen |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
UT |
Rayne, La. |
3.71 |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
| Lexi Johnson * |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
1B |
Reserve, La. |
3.31 |
General Studies |
| Alexa Poche’ * |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
OF |
New Orleans, La. |
3.90 |
Psychology |
| Haylie Savage * |
HCU |
So. |
3B |
Angleton, Texas |
3.56 |
Kinesiology-Wellness Management |
| Alayis Seneca * |
McNeese |
Sr. |
OF |
The Woodlands, Texas |
4.00 |
Double Masters
(Health & Human Performance /
Exercise Physiology & Health Promotion) |
| Whitney Tate *^ |
McNeese |
Sr. |
P |
Columbia, La. |
3.90 |
Biology Pre-Med |
| Gabriella Torres |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
C |
San Antonio, Texas |
3.69 |
Biomedical Sciences |
| Ashley Vallejo |
McNeese |
Jr. |
P |
New Waverly, Texas |
3.47 |
Marketing |
SECOND TEAM
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| MC Comeaux |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
P |
Port Allen, La. |
3.45 |
Health Sciences |
| Maggie Darr |
Northwestern State |
R-So. |
P |
Missouri City, Texas |
3.76 |
Health & Exercise Science |
| Avery Drake |
HCU |
Sr. |
OF |
Belton, Texas |
3.19 |
Kinesiology |
| Keely Dubois |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
SS |
Robeline, La. |
3.55 |
Human Health & Performance |
| Katy Janes |
HCU |
Sr. |
P |
Huffman, Texas |
3.95 |
Allied Health |
| Kaylee Lopez |
McNeese |
Sr. |
UT |
Indian Bayou, La. |
3.62 |
Early Childhood Education |
| Ryleigh Mata |
UIW |
Jr. |
2B |
Santa Fe, Texas |
4.00 |
Psychology |
| Bailie Ragsdale |
Northwestern State |
So. |
2B |
Lone Oak, Texas |
3.63 |
Health & Exercise Science |
| Madison Rayner |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
2B |
Stringer, Miss. |
3.47 |
General Studies |
| Jasie Roberts |
HCU |
Sr. |
C/OF |
Pasadena, Texas |
3.97 |
Biochemistry/Molecular Biology |
| Shaelyn Sanders |
McNeese |
Jr. |
P |
Splendora, Texas |
3.55 |
General Behavioral Science |
| Avery Zeigler |
A&M-Commerce |
Gr. |
3B |
Southlake, Texas |
3.95 |
Business Administration |
* - Automatic Selection (First Team All-Conference)
^ - Student-Athlete of the Year
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