South Alabama softball’s Lackie, Brasher named All-SBC
South Alabama pitcher Olivia Lackie and center fielder Mackenzie Brasher were named to the 2024 All-Sun Belt Conference first team, in voting announced Tuesday.
Lackie, a senior from Walker, La., is the first four-time first-team selection in Jaguars program history. The right-hander is 22-7 this season with a 1.38 ERA and two saves, with a league-best 204 strikeouts in 207.1 innings.
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Brasher, a senior from Orange Beach, is a first-team selection for the second time in her career. The Jaguars’ leadoff hitter leads the team in batting average (.322), hits (55), runs (34) and stolen bases (26) while playing error-free defense in center field.
South Alabama center fielder Mackenzie Brasher was named first-team All-Sun Belt on Tuesday. (Alex Hall/South Alabama athletics)Alex Hall/South Alabama athletics
Troy had two players selected to the All-Sun Belt second team: second baseman Taylor McKinney and shortstop Audra Thompson. McKinney, a Montgomery native, is hitting .336 with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs and 10 steals this season, while Thompson — from Kissimmee, Fla. — has totaled six doubles and seven home runs.
South Alabama is the third seed for the Sun Belt Conference tournament, and opens postseason play vs. sixth-seeded Louisiana-Monroe at 4 p.m. Thursday in San Marcos, Texas. Troy is the fifth seed, and takes on No. 4 Coastal Carolina at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Sun Belt regular-season champion Louisiana dominated the individual awards, taking home Player of the Year (outfielder Mihyia Davis), Newcomer of the Year (shortstop Brooke Ellestad) and Coach of the Year (Gerry Glasco). Texas State’s Jessica Mullins was chosen as Pitcher of the Year, while James Madison designated player Payton List was the pick for Freshman of the Year.
Here are the complete All-Sun Belt softball teams for 2024 (ties in voting were not broken):
First-team All-Sun Belt
C: Bella Henzler, James Madison
1B: Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina
2B: Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall
SS: Hannah Earls, Texas State
SS: Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana
3B: Sara Vanderford, Texas State
OF: Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
OF: Reed Butler, James Madison
OF: Kayt Houston, App State
OF: Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama
DP: Payton List, James Madison
P: Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
P: Jessica Mullins, Texas State
P: Sam Landry, Louisiana
Second-team All-Sun Belt
C: Peyton Darnell, App State
1B: Sam Roe, Louisiana
2B: JJ Smith, Texas State
2B: Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana
2B: Taylor McKinney, Troy
SS: Audra Thompson, Troy
SS: Sydney Bickel, Marshall
3B: Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina
OF: Lourdes Bacon, Louisiana-Monroe
OF: Emma Davis, Georgia Southern
OF: Bella Gerlach, Marshall
OF: Laney Credeur, Louisiana
DP: Jana Lee, Southern Miss
P: Raelee Brabham, Coastal Carolina
P: Chloe Riassetto, Louisiana