FRISCO, Texas – The Southeastern Lions made history in 2024, winning the Southland Conference and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time. They are picked to repeat as champions this season, as announced by the conference on Thursday afternoon.
Southeastern edged out McNeese for the No. 1 spot in the preseason poll with both teams getting nine first-place votes, separated by only one point at 152 and 151 respectively. The Lions and Cowgirls each had four selections to the all conference team though the Pokes saw three named to the first team to just one for the defending champions.
Last season's conference runner-up UIW also had four selections, slotting into third in the preseason poll with 130 points and two first-place votes. The Cardinals return last year's SLC Player of the Year Victoria Altamirano.
Nicholls earned fourth in the preseason poll with 106 points with Lamar claiming fifth with 95, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi taking sixth with 70 and HCU in seventh with 68. SFA had the eigth spot with 62 points while Northwestern State (48 points and East Texas A&M (20) rounded out the poll's final two spots.
The preseason poll is voted on by head coaches and sports information directors in the conference, with coaches selecting the preseason all-conference team.
McNeese will get the 2025 season started with a visit to Tarleton a week from today on Thursday, February 6. All 10 teams will take to the diamond and be underway on Friday, February 7.
All 10 teams will play a three-game series with the other conference members, constiuting a 27-game conference schedule with the top eight teams advancing to the Southland Conference Softball Championship.
The 2025 Southland Conference Softball Championship tournament will be played as a split bracket in separate pods on May 1-4 at the sites of the number 1 and 2 seeds, with the two bracket winners advancing to a best two-of-three series at the site of the highest-remaining seed on May 8-10.
2025 Southland Conference Softball Preseason Poll
| Pl |
School |
1st |
Points |
| 1 |
Southeastern |
9 |
152 |
| 2 |
McNeese |
9 |
151 |
| 3 |
UIW |
2 |
130 |
| 4 |
Nicholls |
|
106 |
| 5 |
Lamar |
|
95 |
| 6 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
|
70 |
| 7 |
HCU |
|
68 |
| 8 |
SFA |
|
62 |
| 9 |
Northwestern State |
|
48 |
| 10 |
East Texas A&M |
|
20 |
2025 Southland Conference Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Monee Montilla |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Edinburg, Texas |
| 2B |
Ryleigh Mata* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Santa Fe, Texas |
| SS |
Chloe Magee* |
Southeastern |
So. |
Watson, La. |
| 3B |
Rylie Bouvier* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Santa Fe, Texas |
| C |
Riley Rutherford |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Katy, Texas |
| UTL |
Victoria Altamirano* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Los Fresnos, Texas |
| DP |
Aubrey Brown |
Lamar |
So. |
Wylie, Texas |
| OF |
Reagan Heflin* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Richmond, Texas |
| OF |
Alexis Dibbley* |
McNeese |
So. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
| OF |
Jillian Gutierrez* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| P |
Ryann Schexnayder |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Walker, La. |
| P |
Emma Wardlaw |
Lamar |
So. |
Comfort, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Maddie Watson |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| 2B |
Jayne Sepulveda |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Monterey Park, Calif. |
| SS |
Baylee Lemons* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Magnolia, Texas |
| 3B |
Maria Detillier |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Gramercy, La. |
| C |
Makenzie Wright |
Lamar |
So. |
Pearland, Texas |
| UTL |
Haylie Savage* |
HCU |
Sr. |
Angleton, Texas |
| DP |
Karlie Barba |
HCU |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OF |
Samantha Mundine |
McNeese |
So. |
Luling, Texas |
| OF |
AB Garcia |
HCU |
Jr. |
Cypress, Texas |
| OF |
Shenita Tucker |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Richmond, Texas |
| P |
Averi Paden |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Summit, Miss. |
| P |
Molly Yoo |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Cypress, Texas |
*-2024 Southland All-Conference Selection