FRISCO, Texas - Four members of the Nicholls State University softball team were named to the 2025 Preseason All-Southland Team as outfielder
Reagan Heflin and catcher
Riley Rutherford were first-team selections while pitchers
Averi Paden and
Molly Yoo landed on second team.
In addition to Thursday's announcement of the preseason teams, the league office also revealed the preseason poll with the Colonels receiving 106 points to place fourth behind Southeastern (152), McNeese (151), and UIW (130).
Heflin was an automatic selection to the preseason team after being named All-Southland First Team in her sophomore year. Along with leading the Colonels with a .326 batting average, Heflin ranked seventh in the SLC in total hits and fourth in doubles. She also drove in 27 runs, tying for the team lead.
Rutherford was the Colonels' primary catcher in her first season, logging 42 starts on the year. She hit .246 with eight doubles and three home runs, driving in 19 runs. Rutherford had a pair of three-hit outings which included one against Northwestern State where she homered and had three RBIs.
Paden tossed 82.0 innings last season and posted a 7-4 record with a 4.44 ERA. Two of her three complete games were in league play in wins over East Texas A&M and HCU, and both of her saves also secured Southland victories. For the season, she had 37 strikeouts and held batters to a .284 average.
Yoo also had a strong season in the circle, totaling 122.0 innings pitched where she went 8-9 with a 3.33 ERA. She tossed six complete games which included four shutouts, highlighted by a two-hit blanking of McNeese. On the year, Yoo struck out 67 batters, had a .248 opponent batting average, and picked up a save against Southeastern.
For the preseason poll, tournament champion Southeastern edged regular season champion McNeese by a point but both received nine first-place votes. UIW had two first-place votes and swapped with Nicholls which took third in the final standings last season. Lamar had 95 points to place fifth and was followed by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (70), HCU (68), Stephen F. Austin (62), and East Texas A&M (20).
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 2025 Southland Conference Softball Championship tournament will be played as a split bracket in separate pods on May 1-4 at the sites of the number 1 and 2 seeds, with the two bracket winners advancing to a best two-of-three series at the site of the highest-remaining seed on May 8-10.
ON DECK
Nicholls will begin its season next weekend in the Stinger Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. They will square off against North Alabama and Alabama State on opening day (Friday, Feb. 7).
2025 Southland Conference Softball Preseason Poll
| Pl |
School |
1st |
Points |
| 1 |
Southeastern |
9 |
152 |
| 2 |
McNeese |
9 |
151 |
| 3 |
UIW |
2 |
130 |
| 4 |
Nicholls |
|
106 |
| 5 |
Lamar |
|
95 |
| 6 |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
|
70 |
| 7 |
HCU |
|
68 |
| 8 |
SFA |
|
62 |
| 9 |
Northwestern State |
|
48 |
| 10 |
East Texas A&M |
|
20 |
2025 Southland Conference Softball Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Monee Montilla |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Edinburg, Texas |
| 2B |
Ryleigh Mata* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Santa Fe, Texas |
| SS |
Chloe Magee* |
Southeastern |
So. |
Watson, La. |
| 3B |
Rylie Bouvier* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Santa Fe, Texas |
| C |
Riley Rutherford |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Katy, Texas |
| UTL |
Victoria Altamirano* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Los Fresnos, Texas |
| DP |
Aubrey Brown |
Lamar |
So. |
Wylie, Texas |
| OF |
Reagan Heflin* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Richmond, Texas |
| OF |
Alexis Dibbley* |
McNeese |
So. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
| OF |
Jillian Gutierrez* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| P |
Ryann Schexnayder |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Walker, La. |
| P |
Emma Wardlaw |
Lamar |
So. |
Comfort, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Maddie Watson |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| 2B |
Jayne Sepulveda |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Monterey Park, Calif. |
| SS |
Baylee Lemons* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Magnolia, Texas |
| 3B |
Maria Detillier |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Gramercy, La. |
| C |
Makenzie Wright |
Lamar |
So. |
Pearland, Texas |
| UTL |
Haylie Savage* |
HCU |
Sr. |
Angleton, Texas |
| DP |
Karlie Barba |
HCU |
Jr. |
Houston, Texas |
| OF |
Samantha Mundine |
McNeese |
So. |
Luling, Texas |
| OF |
AB Garcia |
HCU |
Jr. |
Cypress, Texas |
| OF |
Shenita Tucker |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Richmond, Texas |
| P |
Averi Paden |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Summit, Miss. |
| P |
Molly Yoo |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Cypress, Texas |
*-2024 Southland All-Conference Selection
