NEW ORLEANS – Southern Miss sophomore outfielder Hannah Christian and Louisiana junior right-handed pitcher Sage Hoover earned the Sun Belt Conference’s weekly softball awards following the season’s second week of league competition.
Christian is the first Golden Eagle to earn Sun Belt Player of the Week since Mikaila Fox last season, while Hoover is the Ragin’ Cajuns’ second Pitcher of the Week honoree this season after Bethaney Noble received the accolade on Feb. 24.
Player of the Week
Hannah Christian, Southern Miss
[So. | OF | Hoover, Ala.]
Christian registered four multi-hit games, batted .643 and slugged .929 with nine hits, three runs, six RBIs, one home run and a stolen base in four games for the Golden Eagles. She went 2-for-3 with a steal at UNCG on March 18 before going 7-for-11 across three league games to lead Southern Miss to a Sun Belt series win at App State. Christian started the weekend with two hits and one RBI before erupting for three hits, two runs, two RBI and a double in a 13-4 win over the Mountaineers on March 21. The Hoover, Ala., native delivered in game three of the series with a 2-for-3 day including a home run, three RBI and sacrifice fly in a 13-10 victory.
Pitcher of the Week
Sage Hoover, Louisiana
[Jr. | RHP | Edgewood, Texas]
Hoover compiled a 2-0 record with a 0.53 ERA while surrendering just one walk in 13.1 innings in the circle to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a Sun Belt series win over Texas State. Her weekend began with a gem in relief, entering to a bases-loaded jam and escaping unscathed in the first inning in the series opener on March 20. She went on to yield just three hits across 6.1 scoreless innings while striking out five to lift Louisiana to a 2-1 win over the Bobcats. Hoover wrapped up the weekend with a complete game-effort in Sunday's series-clinching, 6-1 victory. She allowed one run and scattered seven hits across seven innings to earn her second win of the weekend.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Players of the Week
Week 1 – Chloe Hatcher, DP, Georgia State
Week 2 – Brie Normandin, SS, Coastal Carolina
Week 3 – Makaley Boswell, UTIL, Troy
Week 4 – Kayla Christensen, INF, Georgia Southern
Week 5 – Taylor Schafer, INF, App State
Week 6 – Kara Wine, C, South Alabama
Week 7 – Hannah Christian, OF, Southern Miss
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Pitchers of the Week
Week 1 – Ryley Harrison, RHP, South Alabama
Week 2 – Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
Week 3 – Bethaney Noble, RHP, Louisiana
Week 4 – Makayla Stephens, RHP, Georgia State
Week 5 – Emma Strood, RHP, Texas State
Week 6 – Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
Week 7 – Sage Hoover, RHP, Louisiana