HAMMOND, La.  – Southeastern Louisiana has named senior baseball pitcher Corey Gaconi and senior softball infielder Jaquelyn Ramon the 2018-19 SLU Athletes of the Year.
 
Since 1990-91, SLU has selected a Male and Female Athlete of the Year. The Athlete of the Year are selected by Southeastern head coaches and administrative staff.
 
Gaconi is the 10^th baseball student-athlete to earn Male Athlete of the Year accolades. He joins Troy Melancon (1991-92), Jeff Williams (1995-96), Macky Waguespack (1998-99), Steve Trosclair (2000-01), Chris Province (2006-07), Wade Miley (2007-08), Tyler Watkins (2010-11), Brock Hebert (2011-12) and Jameson Fisher (2015-16).
 
Ramon's selection marks the second straight season a Lady Lion softball student-athlete has claimed Athlete of the Year honors. She is the fourth representative of the program to receive the award, joining Sarah Gascon (2002-03), Katie Duhe (2010-11) and Mahalia Gibson (2017-18).
 
Gaconi was recognized after essentially sweeping top awards on and off the field. The Metairie, Louisiana native was named the Southland Conference and Louisiana Pitcher of the Year, as well as earning Academic All-American and Southland Baseball Student-Athlete of the Year recognition.
 
Gaconi finished the year with a 7-3 record and a 2.57 earned run average, holding opponents to a .244 batting average and striking out 95 in 108.2 innings of work. Gaconi's control was his greatest asset, as he only walked 11 batters on the season, ranking among the Division I national leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.64, 4^th) and walks allowed per nine innings (0.91, 5^th).
 
Gaconi, who graduated in May with a 3.92 cumulative grade point average, was just as impressive off the field. At the inaugural Lion Choice Awards presented by Chick-Fil-A in April, Gaconi was honored as the graduating SLU male student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average. He signed a free agent deal with the New York Mets in June.

Ramon received the 2019 New Balance/NFCA Division I Golden Shoe Award, third team NFCA All-South Region and honorable mention All-Southland and All-Louisiana recognition. The speedster from Channelview, Texas led the nation with 63 stolen bases and 1.15 steals per contest. Her single-season Southland record steals total was the 10^th highest in Division I history.
 
Ramon also led the Southland with a single-season school record 51 runs, while ranking among the league leaders in batting average (.347), on-base percentage (.447), hits (58) and walks (28). She finished her career with a Southland record 184 stolen bases – the eighth-highest career total in Division I history, while also setting a SLU career record with 151 runs scored.
 
Southeastern Louisiana Athletes of the Year
2018-19: Male: Corey Gaconi, Baseball; Female: Jaquelyn Ramon, Softball
2017-18: Male: Marlain Veal, Basketball; Female: Mahalia Gibson, Softball
2016-17: Male: Alex Young, Track and Field; Female: Ashley Davis, Track and Field
2015-16: Male: Jameson Fisher, Baseball; Female: Renee Villarreal, Tennis
2014-15: Male: Alex Young, Track and Field; Female: Renee Villarreal, Tennis
2013-14: Male: Bryan Bennett, Football; Female: Renee Villarreal, Tennis and Hope Sabadash, Soccer
2012-13: Male: Robert Alford, Football; Female: Courtney Donald, Volleyball
2011-12: Male: Brock Hebert, Baseball; Female: Maiya Cooper, Soccer
2010-11: Male: Tyler Watkins, Baseball; Female: Katie Duhe, Softball
2009-10: Male: Adonson Shallow, Track and Field; Female: Dana Mayer, Soccer
2008-09: Male: Cedric Scotto, Golf; Female: Kristy Carlin, Basketball
2007-08: Male: Wade Miley, Baseball; Female: Emilija Arnaudovska, Tennis
2006-07: Male: Chris Province, Baseball; Female: Emilija Arnaudovska, Tennis
2005-06: Male: Lars Laursen, Track and Field; Female: Iva Velkovska, Tennis
2004-05: Male: Chris Carter, Track and Field; Female: Kim McNally, Soccer
2003-04: Male: Amir Abdur-Rahim, Basketball; Female: Kendra Oney, Soccer
2002-03: Male: Chris Carter, Track and Field; Female: Sarah Gascon, Volleyball/Softball
2001-02: Male: Andy Smith, Golf; Female: Becca Weingartner, Soccer
2000-01: Male: Steve Trosclair, Baseball; Female: Christine Amertil, Track and Field
1999-00: Male: Jacques Chevallier, Golf; Female: Stacey Turner, Basketball
1998-99: Male: Macky Waguespack, Baseball; Female: Allison Holladay, Soccer
1997-98: Male: Grant White, Golf; Female: Simona Nedorostova, Tennis
1996-97: Male: Martin du Toit, Golf; Female: Anne Bauer, Volleyball
1995-96: Male: Sam Bowie, Basketball and Jeff Williams, Baseball; Female: Darci Starr, Volleyball and Deneka Knowles, Basketball
1994-95: Male: Harvey Baker, Basketball; Female: Felisa Howard, Track and Field and Rena Faust, Basketball
1993-94: Male: David Bennett, Track and Field; Female: Renata Smekalova, Tennis
1992-93: Male: Hank Washington, Basketball; Female: Renata Smekalova, Tennis
1991-92: Male: Troy Melancon, Baseball; Female: Millie Williams, Basketball
1990-91: Male: Oja Fjellstrom, Tennis; Female: Diana Brown, Track and Field
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.