HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University has named Kaleb Proctor and Hallie Burns the 2025-26 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, SLU Athletics announced Friday.
Proctor, a native of Oak Grove, La., is the fifth football student-athlete to be named SLU Male Athlete of the Year. He joins Cole Kelley (2020-21), Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (2019-20), Bryan Bennett (2013-14) and Robert Alford (2012-13).
Burns' selection marked the fifth straight season that the SLU Female Athlete of the Year award was bestowed upon a softball student-athlete, extending a streak that included Aeriyl Mass (2021-22), Bailey Krolczyk (2022-23), Ka'Lyn Watson (2023-24) and Maria Detillier (2024-25). All told, the Booneville, Miss. native is the ninth softball student-athlete to earn the honor, along with Sarah Gascon (2002-03), Katie Duhe (2010-11), Mahalia Gibson (2017-18) and Jaquelyn Ramon (2018-19).
Proctor and Burns will be recognized at this year's North Oaks Health System Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, which is set for Sept. 11 in the War Memorial Student Union Ballroom. The 2026 SLU Athletics Hall of Fame class of Lacey Bockhaus, Don Griffin, Kevin Hughes, Gus Malespin, Cedric Patton and Chris Province will be honored, along with the 1976 Lion football team.
Proctor became the third defensive player in league history to be named Southland Conference Player of the Year. The consensus All-American led the SLC with eight sacks from his defensive tackle position and was one of the leaders of one of the best defenses in FCS that helped SLU to its sixth postseason appearance in program history. In April, he was selected in the fourth round (104
th overall pick) of the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Burns was one of the leaders of SLU's Southland regular season champion softball team, which earned the first at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament since 2003. Excelling on the field and in the classroom, the second team NFCA All-Gulf Region selection was named the Southland and Louisiana Pitcher of the Year, as well as the SLC Softball Student-Athlete of the Year. Burns finished 20-5 with a 1.68 ERA and two saves, holding opponents to a .168 batting average and striking out 107 in 112.2 innings pitched.
The 2025-26 Male and Female Athletes of the Year were selected by the department's head coaches and administrative staff.
Southeastern Louisiana University Athletes of the Year
2025-26: Male: Kaleb Proctor, Football; Female: Hallie Burns, Softball
2024-25: Male: Brennan Stuprich, Baseball; Female: Maria Detillier, Softball
2023-24: Male: Slavko Stevic, Track and Field; Female: Ka'Lyn Watson, Softball
2022-23: Male: Slavko Stevic, Track and Field; Female: Bailey Krolczyk, Softball
2021-22: Male: Preston Faulkner, Baseball; Aeriyl Mass, Softball
2020-21: Male: Cole Kelley, Football; Female: Megan Gordon, Soccer
2019-20: Male: Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Football; Female: Jodi Edo, Volleyball
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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