Courtesy of the Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – McNeese State freshman catcher Erika Piancastelli has been named the 2015 Southland Conference Softball Player, Hitter and Freshman of the Year by vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Tuesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference softball teams.
Pitcher of the year honors went to Northwestern State right-handed freshman Mikayla Brown, while Nicholls sophomore Jessica Taylor was tabbed newcomer of the year. Northwestern State head coach Donald Pickett was named coach of the year.
Piancastelli, a native of Carlsbad, Calif. (Carlsbad H.S.), became the first Southland softball player to earn player, hitter and freshman of the year honors. Also being named to the all-conference first team, the rookie led the league in several statistical categories including runs scored, home runs, doubles, RBI, total bases, on base percentage and slugging percentage. Piancastelli tallied a total of 18 home runs on the year, 12 of which came in conference games, breaking the McNeese single-season home run record. She is just five home runs shy of the Southland single-season record of 23. Piancastelli scored a total of 49 runs on the season, touching home plate 35 times in league play. The freshman racked up a total of 54 RBI in 53 games played, earning 36 RBI in 25 conference contests. On the season, Piancastelli hit .431 while owning a slugging percentage of .915 and an on base percentage of .542. In Southland play, she hit a whopping .527 and held a slugging percentage of 1.176 with an on base percentage of .632. Piancastelli recorded 18 doubles and collected 140 total bases on the year. She hit 10 doubles and took 87 total bases in conference games. For the second consecutive year, a McNeese softball player has been named both player and hitter of the year. Last year, senior outfielder Alanna DiVittorio garnished the two league honors.
Brown became just the second Northwestern State player ever to be chosen as pitcher of the year, joining Cindy Leggett who earned the award in 1999. The native of Deville, La. (Buckeye H.S.), led the league with an earned run average of 1.17 as she compiled an 11-2 record in 84.0 innings pitched. Holding opponents to a .175 batting average, Brown recorded three shutouts on the year and struck out a total of 57 batters. In conference play, the right-handed freshman was even better, holding a 1.08 ERA and going 10-2 from the circle in 71.0 innings pitched. All three of Brown’s shutouts on the season came in Southland play as she tossed for seven complete games, held opponents to a league-best 1.64 batting average and struck out 48 total batters. In addition to being named pitcher of the year, Brown was selected to the all-conference first team.
Newcomer of the year Jessica Taylor played in all 48 games for the Colonels, recording a .313 batting average on the year and hitting .348 in league play. The sophomore outfielder from Colleyville, Texas (Grapevine H.S.), collected 42 hits and 26 RBI throughout the season, holding a slugging percentage of .381 and an on base percentage of .377. In conference games, she tallied 24 hits and 13 RBI while earning a slugging percentage of .391 and compiling an on base percentage of .378. The University at Buffalo transfer owned a .966 fielding percentage on the season. Taylor was also named all-conference honorable mention. Nicholls has now had a student-athlete named newcomer of the year three times since 2010.
Northwestern State head softball coach Donald Pickett was named coach of the year after guiding the program to its first regular-season championship since 2000. Pickett led the Lady Demons to a 22-3 record in conference play and a 33-16 overall mark on the year. Under his guidance, Northwestern State did not drop a single Southland series and led the league in team pitching with a 1.52 ERA, while recording the second-best batting average at .334. The Lady Demons led the conference in hitting on the season with a .309 overall batting average and were second in pitching for the spring with an ERA of 2.93. Pickett earned his first coach of the year honor and became the third Northwestern State head coach to be named for the Southland award.
A total of 13 players made a return appearance to the all-conference teams led by three-time all-Southland selections Central Arkansas junior second basemen Sarah Bigej, Northwestern State senior third baseman Brittany Virgoe, Northwestern State senior designated player Cassandra Barefield and Southeastern Louisiana junior outfielder Katie Lacour. Nine additional players made their second all-conference appearance led by Northwestern sophomore first baseman Brittney Jones, McNeese senior outfielder Lauren Langner, SFA senior first baseman Shalie Day, UCA junior third baseman Sam Forrest, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi sophomore catcher Brittney Morse, UCA sophomore outfielder outfielder Briana Whisenhunt, UCA senior pitcher Kylee Studioso, McNeese sophomore pitcher Rachel Smith and Houston Baptist senior first baseman Melissa Herman.
Northwestern and McNeese led all teams with six all-conference selections as the Lady Demons placed all six on the first team. UCA and Southeastern each had five selections, while Abilene Christian, A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar placed three on the all-Southland teams. SFA and Nicholls had two selections each and Houston Baptist received one all-conference selection.
The 2015 Southland Conference Softball Tournament is slated to get underway Wednesday at the Lady Demon Diamond in Natchitoches, La., with game one starting at 11 a.m. Defending tournament champion Northwestern State won its first regular-season title in 15 years and is the No. 1 seed. 2013 and 2014 regular-season champion McNeese State is the No. 2 seed and will be in search of its fourth tournament title. The tournament consists of a six-team double elimination format with the winner punching its ticket to the NCAA Championship.
The first nine games of the Southland tournament will be streamed live for free on the Southland Conference Digital Network, including Southland.org/watch and the league’s mobile and tablet apps. The championship round will be an exclusive presentation of ESPN3, available via WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. For more information on the tournament, including a link to live stats, please visit Southland.org.
2015 All-Southland Conference Softball Teams
| First Team | ||||
| Pos. | Name | University | Class | Hometown |
| 1B | Brittney Jones2 | Northwestern State | So. | Bryan, Texas |
| 2B | Sarah Bigej3 | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Happy Valley, Ore. |
| 3B | Brittany Virgoe3 | Northwestern State | Sr. | Anaheim, Calif. |
| SS | Peyton Hedrick | Abilene Christian | Fr. | Forney, Texas |
| C | Erika Piancastelli | McNeese State | Fr. | Carlsbad, Calif. |
| UT | Bryanna Castro | McNeese State | Fr. | Yorba Linda, Calif. |
| DP | Cassandra Barefield3 | Northwestern State | Sr. | Houston, Texas |
| OF | Lauren Langner2 | McNeese State | Sr. | Pearland, Texas |
| OF | Katie Lacour3 | Southeastern La. | Jr. | Port St. Joe, Fla. |
| OF | Kellye Kincannon | Northwestern State | So. | Lake Jackson, Texas |
| P | Mikayla Brown | Northwestern State | Fr. | Deville, La. |
| P | Micaela Bouvier | Northwestern State | R-Fr. | Santa Fe, Texas |
| Second Team | ||||
| 1B | Shalie Day2 | Stephen F. Austin | Sr. | Ashdown, Ark. |
| 2B | Hayley Galloway | A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | Angleton, Texas |
| 3B | Sam Forrest2 | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Broken Arrow, Okla. |
| SS | Brooke Morris | Nicholls | So. | Denham Springs, La. |
| C | Brittney Morse2 | A&M-Corpus Christi | So. | Richmond, Texas |
| UT | Alyson Bishoff | Abilene Christian | Fr. | Belton, Texas |
| DP | Brittany Lewis | Stephen F. Austin | So. | Allan, Texas |
| OF | Taylor Brown | Abilene Christian | So. | Richland Hills, Texas |
| OF | Taylor Schmidt | McNeese State | Jr. | Yorba Linda, Calif. |
| OF | Briana Whisenhunt2 | Central Arkansas | So. | Crandall, Texas |
| P | Kylee Studioso2 | Central Arkansas | Sr. | Edmond, Wash. |
| P | Rachel Smith2 | McNeese State | So. | Baytown, Texas |
| Third Team | ||||
| 1B | Melissa Herman2 | Houston Baptist | Sr. | Katy, Texas |
| 2B | Casey Cromwell | Lamar | Sr. | Danville, Ill. |
| 3B | Megan Moore | Southeastern La. | Sr. | Elgin, Texas |
| SS | Sydney Booker | Southeastern La. | Fr. | Madison, Ala. |
| C | Jessie Taylor | Central Arkansas | Jr. | Bryant, Ark. |
| UT | Shannon Sain | Lamar | Sr. | Fannett, Texas |
| DP | Amber Sather | Southeastern La. | Jr. | Kennedale, Texas |
| OF | Mickayla Cochran | A&M-Corpus Christi | Sr. | Peoria, Ariz. |
| OF | Kinsey Nichols | Southeastern La. | Fr. | Alvin, Texas |
| OF | Payton Gremillion | Nicholls | Fr. | Denham Springs, La. |
| P | Emily Vincent | McNeese State | Jr. | Sulphur, La. |
| P | Laura Napoli | Lamar | Fr. | Houston, Texas |
2 Two-time all-conference selection
3 Three-time all-conference selection
Honorable Mention – First Base: Hillary Adams, Sam Houston State. Second Base: Dani Allen, Sam Houston State; Micayla Sorosiak, Northwestern State. Third Base: Holly Neese, Abilene Christian. Shortstop: Stephanie Meeuwsen. Catcher: Taylor Fraccastoro, Stephen F. Austin; Baca Brynn, Lamar. Utility Player: Sarah Allison, Sam Houston State; Kristin Hebert, UIW. Designated Player: Kimmie Rodriguez, Nicholls. Outfield: Natalie Landry, Northwestern State; Nicole Shedd, Houston Baptist; Jessica Taylor, Nicholls. Pitcher: Taylor Bishop, Southeastern Louisiana; Liz Carter, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Callee Guffey, Stephen F. Austin; Hannah Haydel, Nicholls.
Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Erika Piancastelli, McNeese State
Hitter of the Year: Erika Piancastelli, McNeese State
Pitcher of the Year: Mikayla Brown, Northwestern State
Freshman of the Year: Erika Piancastelli, McNeese State
Newcomer of the Year: Jessica Taylor, Nicholls
Coach of the Year: Donald Pickett, Northwestern State
