HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University senior outfielder Ka'Lyn Watson was named Southland Conference Hitter of the Year and was one of a single-season school record and league-high eight Lady Lions selected to the 2024 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams, released by the league office Monday.
 
Watson was one of a SLC-best five first team selections for Southeastern, along with senior catcher Bailey Krolczyk, freshman shortstop Chloe Magee, senior designated player Audrey Greely and senior pitcher Cera Blanchard. The five first-team all-conference selections represent the highest single-season total in program history.
 
Representing SLU on the second team were senior first baseman Lexi Johnson, senior outfielder Cam Goodman and senior pitcher Ellie DuBois. Southeastern led the Southland with eight selections, while McNeese was second with seven. UIW followed with five honorees, Nicholls received two selections, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and HCU each had one representative.
 
The school records for first team and total All-Southland Conference selections were among a slew of firsts for a historic Lady Lions all-league haul. Watson joins Krolczyk as the only Southland Conference Hitter of the Year winners in program history.
 
Krolczyk and Greely each earned first team All-Southland Conference recognition for the third straight season, joining SLU Athletics Hall of Famer and current assistant coach Katie Lacour Godwin as the only three-time first team All-SLC selections in program history. Greely, who was a second team choice in 2021, Godwin and SLU Athletics Hall of Famer Sarah Gascon are the only three four-time all-conference performers in school history.
 
Magee is the first freshman in program history to be named first team All-Southland. Blanchard is the first SLU pitcher to be named first team All-SLC since Southeastern Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Ray Fitzgerald in 2007. The selections of Blanchard and DuBois marks the first time in school history Southeastern has placed multiple pitchers on the All-SLC teams in the same season.
 
The All-SLC contingent has helped SLU (42-13) to its third consecutive 40-plus win season. The seniors on the All-SLC team have all played a pivotal role in the winningest stretch in program history, as Southeastern has posted a 129-43 record over the last three seasons – the three highest single-win totals ever by SLU team – under ninth-year head coach Rick Fremin.
 
After coming on late in her junior season, Watson took that momentum into a tremendous final campaign in Hammond. The Missouri City, Texas native leads the team with a .400 batting average, 50 runs, 66 hits and 30 stolen bases to go with seven doubles, five home runs, five triples and 35 RBI. Her 50 runs are one shy of the single-season school record.
 
Krolczyk, who was named SLC Player and Hitter of the Year last season, was named first team All-SLC for the third straight season after another tremendous campaign. The Corpus Christi, Texas product led the league with 18 doubles and six triples and enters the postseason one extra-base hit shy of matching her own single-season school record. She finished the regular season with a .383 batting average with 37 runs scored, 59 hits, four home runs and 39 RBI.
 
Magee stepped in and made a huge impact offensively and defensively in her first collegiate season out of Live Oak High School. The Watson, Louisiana native ranked among the SLC leaders with 12 sacrifice hits, 27 stolen bases, a .365 batting average, 43 runs scored and 58 hits, while also being a steady presence defensively at shortstop, making just two errors in conference play.
 
Greely finished the regular season with a .328 batting average, 17 stolen bases, five doubles, 24 RBI and 31 runs scored. The Geismar, Louisiana product did her best work versus conference competition, as she led the team with a .377 batting average and 18 RBI in Southland games.
 
In her second season with the Lady Lions, Blanchard was dominant in the circle, finishing 17-2 with a 1.43 ERA and four saves, striking out 99 in 117.1 innings pitched. The Metairie, Louisiana native led the SLC in saves, ERA and opposing batting average (.188) and was a perfect 10-0 with a 0.96 ERA versus conference competition.
 
Johnson was named All-Southland Conference for the second straight season, adding a second-team accolade to her first-team selection in 2023. The Reserve, Louisiana native leads the team with six home runs, ranking among the Southland leaders in that category and with three triples and 35 RBI to go with a .369 batting average versus conference competition.
 
Goodman was named second team All-SLC for the third straight season. The Marrero, Louisiana native is among the conference leaders with 27 walks and 24 stolen bases, as she is one of two players in school history with 100-plus career steals. She hit .327 during the regular season and did not commit an error in centerfield.
 
DuBois earned her first All-SLC nod as a Lady Lions, as the program's career leader in saves stepped in to a larger role in the circle as a senior. The Shreveport, Louisiana product was among the league leaders in nearly every pitching category, finishing the regular season with a 13-5 overall record with a 1.48 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 99.0 innings pitched, limiting opponents to a .219 batting average. Five of her wins came in SLC competition, as she had a 1.16 earned run average in conference games.
 
DuBois and Blanchard were the leaders of a Southeastern pitching staff that has a 1.81 team ERA and a single-season school record 15 shutouts heading into the postseason.
 
Watson was joined among the SLC individual superlative winners Victoria Altamirano of UIW (Player of the Year), Lamar's Shenita Tucker (Newcomer of the Year), as well as the McNeese trio of Shaelyn Sanders (Pitcher of the Year), Alexis Dibbley (Freshman of the Year) and James Landreneau (Coach of the Year).
 
Southeastern will be the No. 2 seed in the 2024 North Oaks Health System Southland Conference Softball Championships, which run Tuesday through Friday at North Oak Park on the SLU campus. The Lady Lions' first postseason game will be Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. versus either Nicholls, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or HCU.
 
The tournament field also includes McNeese, Lamar and UIW. Tournament tickets are available at www.southland.org/tickets and the entire tournament will be televised on ESPN+.
 
2024 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
 
Player of the Year: Victoria Altamirano, UIW
Hitter of the Year: Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
Pitcher of the Year: Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Shenita Tucker, Lamar
Freshman of the Year: Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
Coach of the Year: James Landreneau, McNeese
 
First Team
C – Bailey Krolczyk, Southeastern
1B – Corine Poncho, McNeese
2B – Mariana Torres, McNeese
SS – Chloe Magee, Southeastern
3B – Maddison Guillen, UIW
OF – Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
OF – Reagan Heflin, Nicholls
OF – Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
DP – Audrey Greely, Southeastern
P – Cera Blanchard, Southeastern
P – Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
UT – Victoria Altamirano, UIW
 
Second Team
C – Bella Perez, McNeese
1B – Lexi Johnson, Southeastern
2B – Ryleigh Mata, UIW
SS – Baylee Lemons, UIW
3B – Rylie Bouvier, McNeese
OF – Cam Goodman, Southeastern
OF – Jillian Gutierrez, UIW
OF – Abby Anderson, Nicholls
DP – Crislyne Moreno, McNeese
P – Ellie DuBois, Southeastern
P – Primrose Aholelei, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
UT – Haylie Savage, HCU
 
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.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit  . Southeastern offers mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
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