HAMMOND, La. – Five student-athletes with Division I experience will continue their academic and athletic endeavors as members of the Southeastern Louisiana University softball program, SLU head softball coach Rick Fremin announced Monday.
 
The newest Lady Lions are all transfers. Joining the defending Southland Conference Tournament champions are pitcher/infielder Lainee Bailey (Pearl River Community College | Walker, Louisiana), pitcher Hallie Burns (Ole Miss | Booneville, Mississippi), infielder Brilee Ford (McNeese | Albany, Louisiana), pitcher Britney Lewinski (Syracuse | Shorewood, Illinois) and outfielder Shenita Tucker (Lamar | Richmond, Texas).
 
The newest quintet to join the program gives Southeastern 15 additions for the 2025 season. Bailey, Burns, Ford, Lewinski and Tucker join catcher Nadia Chernich, outfielder Kailey Dixon, catcher/designated player Aniya Harris, pitcher Olivia Henry, pitcher Celia Lamkin, pitcher Macie LaRue, infielder Shelby Morris, infielder Feline Poot, catcher Cydnee Schneider and catcher Blair Walsh.
 
The influx of newcomers bolsters a Southeastern program that has won 40 or more games in each of the past three seasons. This spring, the Lady Lions won its first Southland Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, making a run to the championship game of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional after defeating No. 21 Clemson twice.  
 
"We worked hard with this class, as we wanted to be able to sustain the program and knowing we were tasked with replacing a dynamic 2024 senior class," Fremin commented. "We had a lot of interest from around the nation due to our recent success and we were able to bring players in who wanted to be in Hammond, America. This new group is hungry and we're encouraged with the mental approach they've shown as they prepare to join our program."
 
Southeastern will open the 2025 season at the LSU Invitational Feb. 7-9. SLU is slated to begin its eight-game fall scrimmage schedule Sept. 27 with a 5 p.m., 10-inning exhibition game versus Northeast Alabama Community College at North Oak Park.
 
Southeastern Softball 2025 Additions
Lainee Bailey | P/IF | Walker, Louisiana | Pearl River CC/Walker HS
Hallie Burns | P | Booneville, Mississippi | Ole Miss/Booneville HS
Nadia Chernich | C | North Pole, Alaska | Monroe Catholic HS
Kailey Dixon | OF | Hazard, Kentucky | Walters State/Perry Central HS
Brilee Ford | IF | Albany, Louisiana | McNeese/Albany HS
Aniya Harris | C/DP | Violet, Louisiana | Chalmette HS
Olivia Henry | P | Deville, Louisiana | Buckeye HS
Celia Lamkin | P | Paris, Tennessee | Henry County HS
Britney Lewinski | P | Shorewood, Illinois | Syracuse/Joliet Catholic Academy
Macie LaRue | P | Lovelady, Texas | Bossier Parish CC/Lovelady HS
Shelby Morris | IF | Clinton, Louisiana | Silliman Institute
Feline Poot | IF | Almere, The Netherlands | Florida Southwestern College/Helen Parkhurst HS
Cydnee Schneider | C | Elkhorn, Nebraska | Iowa Western CC/Elkhorn South HS
Shenita Tucker | OF | Richmond, Texas | Lamar/Lamar Consolidated HS
Blair Walsh | C | Centreville, Mississippi | Holmes CC/Amite School Center
 
Southeastern Signee Capsules – 6/17/24
Lainee Bailey | P/IF | Walker, Louisiana | Pearl River CC/Walker HS
After spending freshman season at SLU, spent 2024 campaign at Pearl River Community College … Earned All-American, All-Region and All-MACCC honors for the Wildcats … Finished the season with a 19-6 record and 2.88 ERA, striking out 208 in 150.2 innings pitched … Also hit .431 with school-record 18 home runs, five triples and 16 doubles … Three-time district MVP at Walker High School under former Lady Lion Hali Westmoreland Fletcher … Played for the Louisiana Blazers club team.  
Southeastern head softball coach Rick Fremin on Bailey: "Lainee has the potential to be the best two-way player we've ever had here. We're looking forward to having her back with us and her finishing her career strong here at Southeastern."
 
Hallie Burns | P | Booneville, Mississippi | Ole Miss/Booneville HS
Spent redshirt season at Ole Miss … Helped Booneville HS to back-to-back state championships … Mississippi Player of the Year and Class 3A Pitcher of the Year … Earned All-American honors from MaxPreps … Multi-sport student-athlete was also an all-state basketball player … Played for the Mississippi Bolts club team.
Fremin on Burns: "Hallie had a phenomenal high school career prior to her redshirt season at Ole Miss. We look for her to step in and have an immediate impact in the circle."
 
Brilee Ford | IF | Albany, Louisiana | McNeese/Albany HS
Spent freshman season at McNeese … Played in 46 games, making 17 starts for the Cowgirls … Multi-time all-district and All-Livingston Parish pitcher at Albany High School … Was also an all-district and all-parish selection on the Lady Hornet basketball team.
Fremin on Ford: "Brilee's athleticism makes her a great fit for our system. She's played with several of our players before and we expect her to fit in well right away."
 
Britney Lewinski | P | Shorewood, Illinois | Syracuse/Joliet Catholic Academy
Spent 2024 season at Syracuse, earning three wins and two saves with the Orange … Started collegiate career at Seminole State … Was 33-5 with a 1.26 ERA, striking out 323 in 255.1 innings pitched … Standout prep performer at Joliet Catholic Academy.
Fremin on Lewinski: "We recruited Britney out of junior college, so we've been familiar with her for awhile. She can have an immediate impact in the circle and we've put a plan in place for her to perform at the highest level."
 
Shenita Tucker | OF | Richmond, Texas | Lamar/Lamar Consolidated HS
2024 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year at Lamar … Hit .335 with 27 stolen bases, 42 runs scored and 21 walks … Started collegiate career at Florida Southwestern College … Hit .412 with 148 hits, 121 runs, 13 doubles, five triples and 70 RBI in junior college career … Three-time all-district performer at Lamar Consolidated High School … Finished prep career with a .567 batting average and 77 steals.
Fremin on Tucker: "Shenita has the potential to be, if she's not already, the fastest player in the nation. She's clearly a perfect fit for our offensive system and comes from a phenomenal family."
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @LionUpSoftball on X and Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook.
 
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 www.LionSports.net/tickets. 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
Southeastern Athletics has a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.