NEW ORLEANS – Texas State senior first baseman Aiyana Coleman and teammate junior left-handed pitcher Maddy Azua swept the Sun Belt Conference’s weekly softball awards after leading their team to an upset over No. 3 Texas Tech and a series win during the season’s sixth week of league competition.
Coleman is Texas State’s first Sun Belt Player of the Week since former Bobcat Sara Vanderford on February 27, 2024, while Azua garners her fourth Pitcher of the Week accolade this season. Texas State has received the conference’s top weekly pitching honor in six of 10 weeks in 2026.
Player of the Week
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State
[Sr. | 1B | College Station, Texas]
Coleman recorded three hits this week, all home runs. Because of that, she was walked seven times, including four times intentionally. One of the four intentional walks was with the bases loaded against Southern Miss in the Bobcats 8-1 win against them, where Coleman had already hit a 3 RBI home run previously in the game. Her .769 on base percentage was one of the best in the league this week. Additionally, one of her three home runs came off Nijaree Canady in the Bobcats 3-0 win against No. 3 Texas Tech where the team had its highest-ranked win in program history. To cap it off, she had 6 RBI on the week to help Texas State to a three-win week, including a series win against Southern Miss with the midweek win against Texas Tech.
Pitcher of the Week
Maddy Azua, Texas State
[Jr. | LHP | Round Rock, Texas]
Azua started her week with a complete game shutout against No. 3 Texas Tech for the highest-ranked win in program history. From there, she tallied another win in the series opener against Southern Miss, allowing just one run in that game. Through 21.0 innings, Azua allowed just three runs and walked just three batters, while striking out 13. She allowed just 13 hits throughout the 21 innings, just three for extra bases. She limited batters to a .178 average throughout her three appearances.
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
Week 8 – Kiley Huffman, OF, Troy
Week 9 – Tia Titi, C/UT, Marshall
Week 10 – Kendra Lewis, SS, James Madison
Week 11 – Aiyana Coleman, 1B, Texas State
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
Week 8 – Ryley Harrison, RHP, South Alabama
Week 9 – Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
Week 10 – Emma Strood, RHP, Texas State
Week 11 – Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State