LAFAYETTE – Emily Smith was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and was one of four members of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team listed on the 2025 All-Sun Belt Softball Team, the conference office announced on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
Smith, the only true freshman to rank Top 10 in average, OPS, home runs and RBI in conference play, becomes the 10th player in program history named SBC Freshman of the Year. In conference play, she batted a team-best .435 with seven home runs, 24 RBI and a 1.270 OPS.
Smith was joined by seniors Kayla Falterman, Maddie Hayden and Sam Roe on the All-Sun Belt Second Team.
Louisiana’s four All-SBC selections were a league-high total and continued the program’s streak of multiple selections each season since the league was formed in 2000. The program's all-time All-Sun Belt selections total grew to 172 (2000-present).
The individual awards and all-conference selections were voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
Roe appeared on the All-SBC Team for the second straight season. Hayden collected her second career All-SBC award, adding to her 2022 season recognition.
Falterman’s first career nod was a reward for a well-performed senior season while Smith was one of four freshmen league-wide honored.
UL's second-leading run producer in conference play, totaling 19 RBI, Roe played a superb third base committing only one error over 59 total chances (17 PO, 41 A, 1 E) in Sun Belt play. Overall, she played the entire regular season with only three errors through 111 chances (26 PO, 82 A, 3 E) at third base (.973 FLD%)
Hayden finished the regular season with a career-high .374 batting average after totaling a second consecutive 60-plus hits season. She sported a .378 average in SBC play and was the team leader with 31 base hits on the strength of 10 multiple-hit games against conference foes.
Falterman batted above .400 nearly the entire regular season, remaining above the mark through April. She had at least one hit in 15 of 20 appearances in SBC play and overall tallied career-bests in base hits (46) and RBI (17).
No. 3 seed Louisiana (28-24, 14-10 SBC) is scheduled to begin play in the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship Tournament on Thursday, May 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Troy Softball Complex in Troy, Alabama. The Ragin’ Cajuns are matched up with No. 6 seed App State (23-26, 13-11 SBC) in the quarterfinal round contest.
Louisiana elevated itself to the No. 3 seed in the tournament after winning nine of the last 10 conference games to close the regular season, earning a bye from opening day action on Wednesday (May 7).
All-Sun Belt First Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State (So., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
P Maddie Johnson, Georgia Southern (Fr., RHP – Athens, Ga.)
P Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State (Jr., C – Kyle, Texas)
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
2B Morgan Brown, ULM (R-Fr., 2B – Katy, Texas)
2B Makayla McClain, App State (Jr., 2B – Liberty, N.C.)
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama (So., 3B – Liberty, Mo.)
SS Grace Barrett, App State (So., SS – Milton, Ga.)
OF Meagan Brown, ULM (So., OF – Katy, Texas)
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss (Fr., OF – Hoover, Ala.)
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall (Fr., OF – Alpharetta, Ga.)
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM (So., OF – Loganville, Ga.)
OF Taylor McKinney, Troy (Sr., OF – Montgomery, Ala.)
DP Payton List, James Madison (R-So., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern (Jr., RHP – Statesboro, Ga.)
P Alyssa Faircloth, Troy (So., LHP – Northport, Ala.)
P Sophie Moshos, App State (Jr., LHP – Brazil, Ind.)
C Maddie Jennings, Coastal Carolina (Sr., C – Belton, S.C.)
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
1B Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
1B Gabby Stagner, South Alabama (Sr., 1B – Mobile, Ala.)
2B Keirstin Roose, Coastal Carolina (Sr., 2B – Wolcottville, Ind.)
3B Sam Roe, Louisiana (Sr., 3B – Destin, Fla.)
SS Haleigh Adkins, Marshall (So., SS – Hamlin, W.Va.)
SS Delanie Thames, Georgia Southern (So., SS – Statesboro, Ga.)
OF Kayla Falterman, Louisiana (Sr., OF – The Woodlands, Texas)
OF Maddie Hayden, Louisiana (Sr., OF – West Monroe, La.)
OF McKinnon Howard, Troy (So., OF – Smiths Station, Ala.)
DP Layla Thompson, ULM (Sr., DP – Gonzales, La.)
Player of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Pitcher of the Year: Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
Freshman of the Year: Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
Newcomer of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Coach of the Year: Molly Fichtner, ULM
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