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Well into its sixth decade of service, the Southland Conference continues to be a model of innovation, stability and consistent achievement as it celebrates the academic and athletic accomplishments of its member institutions and approximately 4,200 student-athletes. Having commemorated its 50th anniversary in 2013, the Southland Conference has transformed itself into a dynamic and respected consortium of 13 member universities in three states. Beginning with a historic meeting of five institutions in Dallas on March 15, 1963, the Southland Conference set on an extraordinary course that has proven successful well into the 21st Century. The successful transformation continues, as the Southland Conference welcomed four additional members in 2013: Abilene Christian University, Houston Baptist University, the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, and the University of New Orleans. In addition to its newest members, the Southland also consists of the University of Central Arkansas, Lamar University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Sam Houston State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Stephen F. Austin State University and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. An original Southland member from 1963-73, Abilene Christian rejoined the league as one of the most decorated athletic programs in NCAA history, and the addition of Houston Baptist, UIW and New Orleans gives the Southland a regular competitive presence in the key metropolitan areas of Houston, San Antonio and New Orleans. Southland cities encompass approximately 14 million people, and six of its television markets rank among the top 100 in the U.S. All told, the membership of the Southland encompasses nearly 140,000 current students and an alumni base of nearly 800,000. Famous alums from current Southland Conference schools include former CBS news anchor Dan Rather (Sam Houston State), NBA executive Joe Dumars (McNeese State), ABC news anchor Robin Roberts (Southeastern Louisiana), Major League Baseball star Wade Miley (Southeastern Louisiana), NBA legend Scottie Pippen (Central Arkansas), and track and field Olympians Kenta Bell (Northwestern State), and Bobby Morrow and Billy Olson (both Abilene Christian).
Name Class Kaylyn Shepherd* Sr. Cayla Jones*
2020 PRESEASON FIRST TEAM Pos. School 1B Central Arkansas
Jr.
2B
Cylla Hill* Sr. Tiffany Thompson* Sr. Ella Manzer* Jr. Jade Lewis* Jr. Megan McDonald* Sr. Madisen Blackford* Jr.. Kayla Crutchmer* Sr. Kassidy Wilbur* So. Alley McDonald* Sr. Alexsandra Flores Sr. E.C. Delafi eld* Jr.
3B SS C DP OF OF OF P P P UT
Name Class Sam Dares* Sr. Bryana Novegil* Sr. Brooke Malia Jr. Caitlin Garcia* Jr. Cory McCrary* Sr. Alexis Perry So. Samantha Bradley* Sr. Kaylee Lopez* So. Elise Vincent* Sr. Linsey Tomlinson* Sr. Ashley Kriesel* Jr. Sammi Thomas* So.
Northwestern State
Other notable alums from current members include Grammy Award-winning musicians Frank Ocean (New Orleans), Don Henley and Rodney Crowell (both Stephen F. Austin), and Ronnie Dunn (Abilene Christian), television personality and actress Ellen DeGeneres (New Orleans), current NFL standouts Lardarius Webb (Nicholls State), Terrence McGee (Northwestern State), and Daniel Manning (Abilene Christian), professional golfers Shawn Stefani and Chris Stroud (both Lamar) and Colin Montgomerie (HBU), award-winning filmmaker Richard Linklater (Sam Houston State), American Idol winner Kris Allen (Central Arkansas), NFL Hall of Famer Jackie Harris (Northwestern State), former NFL standouts Bobby Hebert (Northwestern State), Gary Barbaro (Nicholls State), Wilbert Montgomery (Abilene Christian) and Gary Reasons (Northwestern State), former MLB stars Darryl Hamilton (Nicholls State) and Kevin Millar (Lamar), NCAA football coach Charlie Strong (Central Arkansas), actors John Larroquette (New Orleans), Ricardo Chavira (UIW) and Jesse Borrego (UIW), and the late NFL coaching legend O.A. “Bum” Phillips (Lamar and Stephen F. Austin). The Southland sponsors 17 full championship sports, all at the NCAA Division I level. The eight men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field. The women compete for nine championships in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball. The conference earns automatic qualification to NCAA championships in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, and volleyball.
Hometown Mechanicsville, Va.
2020 PRESEASON SOFTB ALL POLL
Missouri City, Texas
Central Arkansas Henryetta, Okla. Sam Houston State Montgomery, Texas. Southeastern Alexandria, La. Lamar Mount Belvieu, Texas Sam Houston State Georgetown, Texas Southeastern Des Moines, Iowa Central Arkansas Tulsa, Okla. Stephen F. Austin Bridge City, Texas Southeastern Whitehouse, Tenn. McNeese Lufkin, Texas Northwestern State Stonewall, La. SECOND TEAM Pos. School Hometown 1B Nicholls Metairie, La. 2B Stephen F. Austin Houston, Texas 2B Sam Houston State Houston, Texas 3B Nicholls Spring, Texas SS McNeese McCarley, Miss. C Northwestern State Wylie, Texas DP Abilene Christian Azle, Texas OF McNeese Indian Bayou, La. OF Northwestern State Maurice, La. OF Abilene Christian Huffman, Texas P Stephen F. Austin Houston, Texas UT Texas A&M-CC Buford, Ga.
REGIONALS
PLACE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
COACHES & SIDS POLL (fi rst-place votes) TEAM Stephen F. Austin (11) Sam Houston State (10) McNeese (1) Nicholls (2) Southeastern Louisiana Northwestern State Central Arkansas Lamar Abilene Christian Houston Baptist Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Incarnate Word
‘98 ‘00 ‘02 ‘13 ‘14
TOTAL 217 210 202 186 177 152 122 110 61 56 52 39
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