MOBILE, ALA. – The Sun Belt Conference announced the 2016 Softball All-Conference teams and individual award winners on Tuesday night at Jaguar Field as part of its Family Night festivities. UL Lafayette senior Lexie Elkins was named the Student-Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive season, while her teammate Alex Stewart earned the Pitcher of the Year award. Georgia Southern’s Dixie Raley won the Freshman of the Year honor.
UL Lafayette’s Michael Lotief was named Sun Belt Softball Coach of the Year. The individual award winners and all-conference honorees were selected by a vote of the league's nine head coaches.
Elkins, a senior from Victoria, Texas, enters tournament play as the No. 1 overall draft pick in the National Pro Softball Fastpitch Draft (highest pick in school and Sun Belt history) and a Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year. At several points during the regular season, Elkins was the nation’s leader in batting average, slugging percentage and home runs per game. She currently leads the Sun Belt in home runs with 17.She was named National Player of the Week by NFCA and USA Softball on February 16
th, and grabbed hold of the No. 2 spot on school’s career home run chart at 73.
The Ragin’ Cajuns claimed another individual honor as junior Alex Stewart was named Pitcher of the Year. The Ragin’ Cajuns’ hurler leads the conference with a 1.42 ERA and posted a record of 25-4. She held opponents to a .224 batting average in 173 innings pitched and struck out a total of 171 during the regular season. The Zionsville, Indiana, native posted a 13-0 start in conference playand earned three wins against Top 25-ranked opponents (No. 5 Oregon (twice) and No. 19 Baylor). The Ragin’ Cajuns’ staff is fifth in the NCAA with a 1.76 ERA.
Georgia Southern’s Dixie Raley is the 2016 Freshman of the Year. The Milledgeville, Georgia, native held opponents to a .228 batting average in 195 innings pitched. She is third in the conference in strikeouts (177) and batters struck out looking (60). She led the Sun Belt in saves with three and recorded a total of 22 wins, the third-most in the league. She pitched five shutouts (three over conference foes) and threw three one-hitters. Raley’s 22 wins rank second in program history for wins in a single season and set a program record for wins by freshman.
Michael Lotief earned his fourth Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Ragin’ Cajuns to their 18
th-straight 40-win season. With a league record of 21-2 (40-7 overall), the Ragin’ Cajuns earned their 14
th regular season title in 16 years. The No. 9-ranked UL Lafayette earned the top seed in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, hosted by South Alabama.
Tournament play begins on Wednesday at Jaguar Field as No. 5 Georgia Southern takes on No. 8 UL Monroe at 10 a.m. CT. All games on the first two days of the tournament will be streamed for free on SunBeltSports.org and the Sun Belt Digital Network. Friday's three games and Saturday's championship game will be available for viewing on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app.
First Team
Dixie Raley (Georgia Southern, Freshman, P, Exercise Science)
Alex Stewart (UL Lafayette, Junior, P, Mathematics and Economics)
Devin Brown (South Alabama, Sophomore, P, Graphic Design)
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Sophomore, P, Management)
Lexie Elkins (UL Lafayette, Senior, C, General Studies)
Amye Barre (UL Monroe, Senior, 1B, History)
Kaleigh Todd (South Alabama, Sophomore, 2B, Education)
Sandra Mendoza (UT Arlington, Sophomore, 2B, Exercise Science)
DJ Sanders (UL Lafayette, Sophomore, SS, Biology)
Emily Messer (South Alabama, Senior, 3B, Exercise Science)
Aleah Craighton (UL Lafayette, Sophomore, OF, Biology)
Shellie Landry (UL Lafayette, Senior, OF, Exercise Science)
Rochelle Roberts (UL Monroe, Junior, OF, Psychology)
Hannah Day (Troy, Senior, OF, Exercise Science)
Sara Corbello (UL Lafayette, Senior, DP, Public Relations)
Second Team
Katie Worley (Georgia State, Senior, P, Health and Physical Education)
Samantha Clakley (UT Arlington, Freshman, P, Exercise Science)
Ivie Drake (Georgia State, Sophomore, C, Early Childhood Education)
Stephanie Pilkington (South Alabama, Senior, C, Criminal Justice)
Mandy Blackwell (Georgia State, Junior, 1B, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Haley Hayden (UL Lafayette, Junior, 2B, Exercise Science)
Kate Benton (Troy, Senior, 2B, Physical Education)
Taylor Anderson (Georgia State, Senior, SS, Biological Science)
Corrina Liscano (Texas State, Junior, Third Base, Criminal Justice)
Emily Snider (Georgia Southern, Junior, OF, Accounting)
Haleigh Lane (South Alabama, Freshman, OF, Pre-Physical Therapy)
Haleigh Lowe (South Alabama, Sophomore, OF, Education)
Krista Rude (UT Arlington, Freshman, OF, Education)
Taylor Webb (Texas State, Sophomore, Outfield, Exercise and Sports Science)
Taylor Rogers (Georgia Southern, Junior, DP, General Studies)
Student-Athlete of the Year
Lexie Elkins (UL Lafayette, Senior, C, General Studies)
Pitcher of the Year
Alex Stewart (UL Lafayette, Junior, P, Mathematics and Economics)
Freshman of the Year
Dixie Raley (Georgia Southern, Freshman, P, Exercise Science)
Coach of the Year
Michael Loteif, UL Lafayette