FRISCO – Following another highly competitive Southland Conference baseball season, the Southland Conference announced its 2026 All-Conference and Superlative honors on Wednesday afternoon.
UTRGV’s Armani Raygoza earned the league’s top honor as Player of the Year, while Southeastern’s Peyton Woods was named Hitter of the Year. Lamar ace Chris Olivier claimed Pitcher of the Year honors, while McNeese reliever Eric Nachtsheim was selected as Relief Pitcher of the Year. Lamar’s Travis Lutz earned Newcomer of the Year recognition, Northwestern State standout Brody Trosclair was named Freshman of the Year, and Southeastern head coach Bobby Barbier was voted the Clay Gould Coach of the Year.
Raygoza becomes one of the league’s premier all-around players after anchoring the Vaqueros lineup throughout the season. The UTRGV slugger hit .307 with 61 hits, 17 home runs, 49 RBI and 51 runs scored while earning First Team All-Conference honors at first base. With the selection, Raygoza becomes the first player in Southland Conference history to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors after previously claiming the award in 2025. Raygoza additionally provided steady defense at first base, posting a .986 fielding percentage while helping turn 32 double plays.
Woods powered one of the Southland’s most explosive offenses during his breakout junior campaign. The Southeastern outfielder hit .352 with 50 hits, 35 runs scored and 22 RBI while also delivering five home runs during the regular season. Woods additionally supplied strong defense in right field, committing just two errors all season while recording a pair of outfield assists.
Olivier developed into one of the top starting pitchers in the Southland this season, leading Lamar’s pitching staff with dominant outings throughout conference play. The Cardinal right-hander posted a 2.92 ERA with 92 strikeouts while earning five wins and consistently working deep into games. Olivier’s performance on the mound helped propel Lamar into contention throughout the season and earned him First Team All-Conference honors as a starting pitcher.
Nachtsheim was selected as the Southland’s Relief Pitcher of the Year after serving as McNeese’s lockdown option at the back end of the bullpen. The senior from Reno, Nevada, finished the regular season with a 3.58 ERA, six wins, 116 strikeouts and three saves while delivering consistent late-inning performances for the Cowboys. In addition to his work on the mound, Nachtsheim was flawless defensively, posting a perfect fielding percentage without committing an error all season.
Lutz made an immediate impact in his first season with Lamar, earning Newcomer of the Year honors after emerging as one of the Southland’s top weekend starters. The right-hander posted a 2.18 ERA with 50 strikeouts while helping anchor the Cardinals’ rotation throughout conference play. Lutz additionally earned Second Team All-Conference recognition following a season filled with quality starts and clutch performances.
Trosclair put together an impressive freshman campaign for Northwestern State, earning both Freshman of the Year honors and First Team All-Conference recognition as a starting pitcher. The rookie right-hander posted a 1.89 ERA with 55 strikeouts and five wins while quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s top arms.
Barbier earned back-to-back Clay Gould Coach of the Year honors after guiding Southeastern to another Southland Conference regular-season championship. The Lions once again established themselves as one of the league’s top programs under Barbier’s leadership, becoming the only Southland team to reach 30 wins prior to postseason play. Southeastern additionally recorded wins over No. 8 Oklahoma and Southern Miss while producing the conference’s top run-scoring offense and one of the league’s top pitching staffs despite battling multiple injuries in the rotation.
Player of the Year: Armani Raygoza, UTRGV
Hitter of the Year: Peyton Woods, Southeastern
Pitcher of the Year: Chris Olivier, Lamar
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Travis Lutz, Lamar
Freshman of the Year: Brody Trosclair, Northwestern State
Clay Gould Coach of the Year: Bobby Barbier, Southeastern
2026 All-Southland Conference First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| C |
Jhett Creel |
SFA |
Sr. |
Sachse, Texas |
| 1B |
Armani Raygoza |
UTRGV |
R-Jr. |
El Paso, Texas |
| 2B |
Cade Sanchez |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Gr. |
Houston, Texas |
| SS |
A.J. Taylor |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
| 3B |
Alex Perry |
Southeastern |
R-Sr. |
McComb, Miss. |
| OF |
Danny Barbero |
McNeese |
SR. |
Albany, N.Y. |
| OF |
Rocco Garza Gongora |
UTRGV |
R-Jr. |
Laredo, Texas |
| OF |
Peyton Woods |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Albany, La. |
| DH |
Julius Ramirez |
UTRGV |
Jr. |
San Juan, Texas |
| UT |
Julian Swift |
SFA |
Sr. |
Cedar Park, Texas |
| SP |
Chris Olivier |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Mandeville, La. |
| SP |
Dylan Marionneaux |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Zachary La. |
| SP |
Brody Trosclair |
Northwestern State |
Fr. |
Thibodaux, La. |
| RP |
Eric Nachsteim |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Reno, Nev. |
2026 All-Southland Conference Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| C |
Logan Terry |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Semmes, Ala. |
| 1B |
Thomas Marsala III |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Monroe, La. |
| 2B |
Ben Robichaux |
Southeastern |
S. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| SS |
Cole Tabor |
UIW |
Sr. |
San Antonio, Texas |
| 3B |
Easton Moomau |
UTRGV |
Jr. |
El Paso, Texas |
| OF |
Preston Newberry |
UIW |
R-Jr. |
Tyler, Texas |
| OF |
Tab Tracy |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OF |
Brooks Leonard |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Pierre Part, La. |
| DH |
Nico Rijo-Berger |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Knoxville, Tenn. |
| UT |
Tony DeJesus |
UIW |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| SP |
Travis Lutz |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Bartonville, Ill. |
| SP |
Nik Toups |
Southeastern |
So. |
Lake Charles, La. |
| SP |
Blake Lobell |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Holden, La. |
| RP |
Kike Cienfuegos |
UTRGV |
R-Sr. |
Mission, Texas |
2026 Southland Conference All-Defensive Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| C |
Connor Walker |
McNeese |
Fr. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
| 1B |
Brody Capps |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Phenix City, Ala. |
| 2B |
Cade Sanchez |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Gr. |
Houston, Texas |
| SS |
A.J. Taylor |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
| 3B |
Alex Perry |
Southeastern |
R-Sr. |
McComb, Miss. |
| LF |
Isaiah Keller |
McNeese |
Gr. |
Broken Arrow, Okla. |
| CF |
Rocco Garza Gongora |
UTRGV |
R-Jr. |
Laredo, Texas |
| RF |
Hank Warren |
UTRGV |
R-Sr. |
Pollok, Texas |
| P |
Dylan Marionneaux |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Zachary La. |