HAMMOND, La. – The two-time reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana University softball program added more talent Wednesday, as SLU head coach Rick Fremin announced the return of pitcher Cera Blanchard and outfielder Ka'Lyn Watson for the 2026 season.
 
Blanchard, a pitcher from Metairie, Louisiana and Watson, an outfielder from Missouri City, Texas, starred for the Lady Lions in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Both spent the 2025 season at UT Tyler and were key members of the Division II national champions. The NCAA has extended both players' eligibility for one final season, which they will use back in Hammond as members of the Southeastern program.
 
"We're ecstatic to welcome back a pair of elite players in Cera and Ka'Lyn back to Hammond, America," Fremin commented. "Both of them played such a key role in our first postseason run in 2024. Veteran innings are the hardest thing to replace as a coach, so having two high-level experienced players return to our program is a game-changer for us."
 
Both Blanchard and Watson earned All-America, all-region and All-Lone Star Conference honors at UT Tyler, which finished 62-5 overall and won its second straight Division II national title.
 
Blanchard led the team in wins, finishing 22-3 in the circle with a 1.37 earned run average. She struck out 137 in 153.2 innings pitched and held opponents to a .199 batting average.
 
Watson, who was also named LSC Newcomer of the Year, hit .440 with eight home runs and 52 RBI this spring. She also added 17 doubles, six triples and scored 59 runs for the Patriots.
 
Both Blanchard and Watson were key members of SLU's 2024 Southland Conference Tournament championship team that finished 47-15 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional final in the first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Both players were first team All-SLC and All-Louisiana selections with Watson adding Southland Hitter of the Year and 2023-24 SLU Female Athlete of the Year honors to her list of accolades.
 
In her two previous seasons in Hammond, Blanchard posted a 36-10 record in the circle with a 2.04 earned run average, striking out 221 batters. Watson hit .380 during her two years in the green and gold with 90 runs scored – including a single-season school-record 57 in 2024 – and 51 stolen bases.
 
Blanchard and Watson join a Southeastern team that finished 50-16 on the way to its second straight NCAA Regional final appearance and SLC Tournament championship. The Lady Lions return eight positional starters – including All-SLC performers Chloe Magee, Maria Detillier, Shenita Tucker, as well as All-Louisiana selections Cydnee Schneider and Brilee Ford.
 
Blanchard joins a SLU pitching staff that returns its top two wins leaders from a 2025 staff that ranked among the Division I leaders with a 2.41 ERA (8^th) and 17 shutouts (7^th). Blanchard projects to team with Louisiana Pitcher and SLC Newcomer of the Year Macie LaRue, an All-Gulf Region selection, to headline a deep Lady Lion pitching staff.
 
The Lady Lions will officially open their 2026 campaign at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, scheduled for Feb. 5-8 in Clearwater, Florida. SLU's eight-game fall exhibition slate opens with a 10-inning scrimmage versus Pensacola State Sept. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at North Oak Park.
 
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.