The nationally ranked Louisiana Ragin Cajuns softball team has again been picked to win the Sun Belt Conference.
After winning the last four regular season and tournament titles, it’s no surprise that the Cajuns are the favorites once again after a Super Regional appearance last year.
Sophomore center fielder Mihyia Davis has also been named the Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year after a dominant freshman season. Five other players were named to the All-Sun-Belt team.
Louisiana (50-16, 22-2 in the SBC) was the unanimous pick to win the conference by all 12 coaches. This is the sixth consecutive season they’ve been the preseason favorite.
Sophie Piskos, Lauren Allred, Brooke Ellestad, Alexa Langeliers, and Sam Landry join Davis on the all-conference team. Six players in the most in the league, with Texas State, South Alabama, and Coastal Carolina tying for second with two each.
Louisiana, an NCAA Tournament participant, and the 40-game winner each year since 1999, begins the 2024 season at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park for the 38th Annual Louisiana Classics on February 8-11, an event highlighted by Pac-12’s University of California.
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
- Louisiana – 144 (12)
- South Alabama – 127
- Texas State – 122
- Troy – 98
- James Madison – 94
- Coastal Carolina – 81
- Marshall – 79
- ULM – 59
- Southern Miss – 49
- Georgia State – 35
- Georgia Southern – 25
- App State – 23
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Player of the Year
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (So., OF – Lovelady, Texas)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Jessica Mullins, Texas State (Sr., P – Tarkington, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Lauren Allred, Louisiana (So., 1B – Texarkana, Texas)
Taylor McKinney, Troy (Jr., 2B – Montgomery, Ala.)
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana (Jr., 2B – Keller, Texas)
Sydney Bickel, Marshall (Sr., SS – Peoria, Ariz.)
Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kimberly, Wis.)
Sara Vanderford, Texas State (Gr., 3B – Pasadena, Texas)
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina (So., 3B – Nampa, Idaho)
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (So., OF – Lovelady, Texas)*
Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama (Gr., OF – Orange Beach, Ala.)
Kayt Houston, App State (Sr., OF – Rock Hill, S.C.)
Sophie Piskos, Louisiana (Sr., C – Paris, Tenn.)
Iyanla De Jesus, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DP – Mill Creek, Wash.)
Jessica Mullins, Texas State (Sr., P – Tarkington, Texas)
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama (Sr., P – Walker, La.)
Sam Landry, Louisiana (Jr., P – Mont Belvieu, Texas)
*denotes Preseason SBC Player of the Year