FRISCO – SFA first baseman Josh Ibe and New Orleans pitcher Luke Lycette picked up the Southland Baseball Player of the Week awards for the eighth week of the 2026 season, which were announced Monday by the conference office.
Hitter of the Week: Josh Ibe, Stephen F. Austin - Sr. - 1B - Cypress, Texas (Cypress Ranch HS)
Five of Ibe's seven hits (.438) went for extra bases as he hit three doubles, homered twice and totaled 16 bases. He drove in a team-leading nine RBI and tied for the team lead in runs scored with six. The Jacks went 3-1 on the week with a pair of wins over A&M-Corpus Christi to keep pace in the SLC standings.
Honorable Mention: Brooks Leonard, Northwestern State and Luke Bard, HCU
Pitcher of the Week: Luke Lycette, New Orleans - Sr. - RHP - Brandon, Miss. (Northwest Rankin HS)
Lycette pitched in all three wins for the Privateers this week and played vital roles in all of them. He threw 8.2 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and no runs allowed. On Tuesday, Lycette was the bridge to Lane Alack after pitching a scoreless seventh and eighth inning in a 2-1 win against South Alabama. On Friday, Lycette was called upon for a six-out save and he delivered against McNeese. The next day, Lycette allowed just two baserunners between the 10th and the 13th inning and got the win as the Privateers hit a walk-off single to defeat the Cowboys and take the series.
2026 Southland Baseball Players of the Week
| Date |
Hitter of the Week |
Pitcher of the Week |
| Feb. 16 |
Cade Sanchez, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Chris Olivier, Lamar |
| Feb. 23 |
Caston Thompson, Nicholls |
Easten Smith, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Mar. 2 |
Matt Stancliff, McNeese |
Chris Olivier, Lamar |
| Mar. 9 |
Armani Raygoza, UTRGV
Levi Castilleja, HCU |
Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese |
| Mar. 16 |
Jake Weaver, UIW |
Chris Olivier, Lamar |
| Mar. 23 |
Armani Raygoza, UTRGV |
Dylan Marionneaux, Northwestern State |
| Mar. 30 |
Thomas Marsala III, Northwestern State |
Chase Mayer, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
| Apr. 6 |
Josh Ibe, Stephen F. Austin |
Luke Lycette, New Orleans |
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.