HAMMOND, La. – Led by Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year Bailey Krolczyk, the Southeastern Louisiana University softball team placed five players on the All-SLC softball teams, which were released Monday by the league office.
 
Krolczyk is the first player in program history to receive Player or Hitter of the Year honors from the Southland Conference. The junior catcher from Corpus Christi, Texas native was joined on the first team by junior first baseman Lexi Johnson and junior designated player Audrey Greely.
 
Johnson earned her first All-Southland selection this season, while Krolczyk and Greely join former teammate Aeriyl Mass and current assistant coach and 2023 SLU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Katie Lacour Godwin as the only multi-time first team All-SLC selections in program history. The three first team selections matched a school record set by the 2002 and 2022 squads.
 
Representing the Lady Lions on the second team were junior outfielder Cam Goodman and senior pitcher KK Ladner. Ladner is a first-time All-SLC choice, while Goodman was named second team all-conference for the second straight season. The Lady Lion All-SLC quintet helped Southeastern set a single-season school record for both overall and conference wins, as the Lady Lions won all eight Southland Conference series for the first time in program history.
 
"We're extremely proud of the recognition received by our five honorees," Southeastern head coach Rick Fremin commented. "All of them are deserving of these awards and have played a vital role in our success."
 
Krolczyk received the league's highest honor after a breakout second season in Hammond. Second in the Southland with a .384 batting average, Krolczyk leads the conference with 10 home runs, 48 RBI, 63 hits, 16 doubles, a .667 slugging percentage and a 1.069 OPS. Her 35 runs scored are tied for third on the team and fifth in the Southland.
 
A two-time Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, Krolczyk put together a school-record 22-game hitting streak from March 17-April 21.
 
"Bailey earned these honors during the offseason," Fremin commented. "She stayed here last summer, dedicated herself to the game and an intense training regimen and her performance this spring is a by product of that hard work. To have her represent Southeastern as the program's first-ever Southland Player and Hitter of the Year is not only a great individual accomplishment for her, but an important milestone for our program."
 
Krolczyk and Johnson comprise a formidable duo in the middle of our lineup. The Reserve, Louisiana native was twice named the SLC Hitter of the Week and represented SLU in the conference top 10 in batting average (.339, 6^th), slugging percentage (.596, 2^nd), OPS (.982, 2^nd), runs (35, 5^th), hits (58, 3^rd), RBI (40, 4^th), triples (4, 2^nd) and home runs (9, 2^nd).
 
"Lexi and BK have been tough for our opponents to deal with in the middle of our lineup," Fremin commented. "Lexi is a great power hitter and has done an excellent job handling the transition to first base from the outfield."
 
Greely was named first team All-Southland for the second straight season and earned all-conference recognition for the third straight season, as the Geismar, Louisiana native was a second team choice in 2021. Greely heads into the postseason as the conference leader in on-base percentage (.453) and HBP (nine), while also ranking among the league leaders in batting average (.331, 8^th), OPS (.961, 5^th) and walks (20, 7^th). She was named SLC Hitter of the Week Sunday after hitting .500 with five RBI in a sweep of Northwestern State.
 
"Audrey has been a consistent all-conference performer throughout her Southeastern career," Fremin commented. "We consider her one of the best designated players in the region. Her combination of power and speed make her a tough out."
 
Goodman was named second team All-SLC for the second straight season after leading the conference with 31 stolen bases and 31 walks. The speedster from Marrero, Louisiana is also among the conference top 10 in on-base percentage (.431, 5^th), runs (37, 2^nd) and triples (3, 6^th).
 
"Cam took away hits from our opponents every series with her defensive ability in centerfield," Fremin said. "Offensively, she sets the table for our lineup and when she's able to get on, she creates so much pressure for our opponents with her speed and aggressiveness on the base paths."
 
Ladner rounds out the SLU All-Southland contingent after posting one of the best regular season pitching seasons in program history. The Kiln, Mississippi native was a perfect 8-0 in conference play on the way to a 14-1 record and a 2.01 ERA. Ladner ranked among the SLC leaders in ERA (2^nd), wins (5^th), opposing batting average (.210, 2^nd), strikeouts (136, 2^nd) and innings pitched (115.0, 10^th). Named the SLC Pitcher of the Week March 27, Ladner won her final 13 decisions during the regular season with her only loss coming at nationally-ranked Alabama.
 
"KK's numbers speak for themselves and she's very deserving of any recognition she receives," Fremin commented. "Her contributions both in the circle and off the field as a leader for our program have been invaluable. We've put a lot of faith in KK this season and she's been up for the challenge."
 
Regular season champion McNeese led the Southland with eight All-SLC selections, followed by SLU with five. Joining Krolczyk among the individual award winners were Texas A&M-Corpus Christi junior pitcher Primrose Aholelei (Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year), HCU freshman outfielder AB Garcia (Freshman of the Year) and Nicholls head coach Justin Lewis (Coach of the Year).
 
SLU will be the No. 2 seed in this week's Southland Southland Conference Tournament in Lake Charles and will open tournament play versus seventh-seeded HCU Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
 
The tournament, which is scheduled from Tuesday through Friday, will air on ESPN+ from Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond on the McNeese campus. Tickets are available by visiting McNeeseSports.com or by calling the McNeese ticket office at (337) 562-4678.
 
The winner of the tournament will receive the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The field will be announced Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
2023 All-Southland Conference Softball Individual Award Winners and Teams
Player of the Year: Bailey Krolczyk, Southeastern
Hitter of the Year: Bailey Krolczyk, Southeastern
Pitcher of the Year: Primrose Aholelei, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Freshman of the Year: AB Garcia, HCU
Newcomer of the Year: Primrose Aholelei, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Coach of the Year: Justin Lewis, Nicholls
 
First Team
Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown
1B | Lexi Johnson | Southeastern | Jr. | Reserve, La.
2B | Erin Krause | Nicholls | Fr. | Cypress, Texas
SS | Kaydee Bennett | Texas A&M-Commerce | Fr. | Caddo Mills, Texas
3B | Haylie Savage | HCU | So. | Angleton, Texas
C | Bailey Krolczyk | Southeastern | Jr. | Corpus Christi, Texas
UT | Chloe Gomez | McNeese | Jr. | Spring, Texas
DP | Audrey Greely | Southeastern | Jr. | Geismar, La.
OF | Alayis Seneca | McNeese | Sr. | The Woodlands, Texas
OF | Alexa Poche' | Nicholls | Jr. | New Orleans, La.
OF | AB Garcia | HCU | Fr. | Cypress, Texas
P | Primrose Aholelei | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Jr. | Honolulu, Hawaii
P | Whitney Tate | McNeese | Sr. | Columbia, La.
 
Second Team
Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown
1B | Kaylee Ancelot | Lamar | Gr. | Orangefield, Texas
2B | Mariana Torres | McNeese | So. | Pflugerville, Texas
SS | Reese Reyna | McNeese | So. | Santa Fe, Texas
3B | Rylie Bouvier | McNeese | So. | Santa Fe, Texas
C | Gabriella Torres | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | San Antonio, Texas
UT | Melise Gossen | Nicholls | Sr. | Rayne, La.
DP | Makenzie Chaffin | Northwestern State | Jr. | Bossier City, La.
OF | Cam Goodman | Southeastern | Jr. | Marrero, La.
OF | Erin Ardoin | McNeese | So. | Moss Bluff, La.
OF | Avery Drake | HCU | So. | Belton, Texas
P | KK Ladner | Southeastern | Sr. | Kiln, Miss.
P | Ashley Vallejo | McNeese | Jr. | New Waverly, Texas
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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HOME RUN CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the softball program are encouraged to join the Home Run Club. Lady Lion softball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Home Run Club and S Club (softball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern softball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events (softball, baseball, football and basketball), effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.