FRISCO, Texas - The Nicholls State University softball duo of
Melise Gossen and
Alexa Poche' received Preseason All-Southland Second Team honors as the league office announced its preseason teams and poll.
Gossen, who was an automatic selection after earning All-Southland Third Team last season, led the Red & Gray with a .285 batting average and ranked third in the Southland with 15 doubles. Poche' was voted onto the preseason team after tying for fourth in the Southland with eight home runs while pacing the Colonels with 29 RBIs. Both also earned all-academic last season.
Despite having a pair of all-league honorees, the Colonels were projected to finish in last place in the preseason poll. Nicholls garnered 32 points while UIW had 45 points for the next lowest team. McNeese received a max of 16 first-place votes for 128 points to repeat as the preseason favorite. The Cowgirls had a league best seven preseason selections.
Southeastern was picked to finish second, receiving the other two first-place votes, and was followed by Northwestern State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, HCU, Lamar, Texas A&M-Commerce, UIW, and Nicholls. Lamar returns to the Southland after one season in the WAC, while A&M-Commerce is playing in its first season in the league as it transitions from Division II.
The preseason poll is voted on by head coaches and sports information directors in the conference, with coaches selecting the preseason all-conference team.
The 2023 softball season begins in two weeks on Thursday, February 9, with Nicholls hosting New Mexico at 5 p.m.
The 2023 Southland Conference Softball Championship tournament will be held on May 9-12 at McNeese's Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond in Lake Charles, La., with the tournament champion claiming the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
All nine teams will play a 24-game round robin conference schedule against the other eight teams, with the top seven teams in the conference qualifying for the double-elimination conference tournament.
2023 Southland Conference Softball Preseason Poll
| Pl |
School |
1st |
Pts |
| 1 |
McNeese |
16 |
128 |
| 2 |
Southeastern |
2 |
113 |
| 3 |
Northwestern State |
|
91 |
| 4 |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
|
85 |
| 5 |
HCU |
|
58 |
| 6 |
Lamar |
|
49 |
| 7 |
A&M-Commerce |
|
47 |
| 8 |
UIW |
|
45 |
| 9 |
Nicholls |
|
32 |
2023 Southland Conference Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Crislyne Moreno * |
McNeese |
So. |
Converse, Texas |
| 2B |
Caleigh Cross * |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Forney, Texas |
| 3B |
Jil Poullard * |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
| SS |
Maddie Watson * |
Southeastern |
So. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| C |
Bailey Krolczyk * |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
| UT |
Kaylee Lopez * |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Indian Bayou, La. |
| DP |
Audrey Greely * |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Geismar, La. |
| OF |
Laney Roos * |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Aubrey, Texas |
| OF |
Alayis Seneca * |
McNeese |
Sr. |
The Woodlands, Texas |
| OF |
Cam Goodman * |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Marrero, La. |
| P |
Ashley Vallejo * |
McNeese |
Jr. |
New Waverly, Texas |
| P |
Bronte Rhoden * |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Plano, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Sydney Hoyt * |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Beach City, Texas |
| 2B |
Madison Rayner * |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Stringer, Miss. |
| 3B |
Haylie Savage * |
HCU |
So. |
Angleton, Texas |
| SS |
Ryleigh Mata * |
UIW |
So. |
Santa Fe, Texas |
| C |
Tristin Court * |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Rockwall, Texas |
| UT |
Melise Gossen * |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Rayne, La. |
| DP |
Chloe Gomez |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Spring, Texas |
| OF |
Alexa Poche' |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OF |
Makenzie Chaffin * |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Bossier City, La. |
| OF |
Bailie Ragsdale * |
Northwestern State |
So. |
Lone Oak, Texas |
| P |
Lyndie Swanson * |
HCU |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
| P |
Siarah Galvan * |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
So. |
Rockport, Texas |
*-2022 Southland All-Conference Selection
