Karly Heath headlines All-Sun Belt softball teams as conference player of the year

NEW ORLEANS – Following a vote of the conference’s 12 head coaches, Louisiana’s Karly Heath, South Alabama’s Olivia Lackie, Marshall’s Sydney Bickel, Louisiana’s Mihyia Davis, and South Alabama’s Becky Clark received the Sun Belt Conference’s softball postseason honors. The conference office also announced the 2023 Softball All-Sun Belt Teams on Tuesday.

Louisiana’s Karly Heath was named the Sun Belt Softball Player of the Year; South Alabama’s Olivia Lackie was selected as the Pitcher of the Year; Marshall’s Sydney Bickel was tabbed as the Newcomer of the Year; Louisiana’s Mihyia Davis was dubbed the Freshman of the Year and South Alabama’s Becky Clark was honored as the Coach of the Year.

Senior outfielder Karly Heath was the main catalyst for Louisiana’s offense throughout the entire season, leading the team in runs (49), extra base hits (24), home runs (14), RBI (43) and total bases (107) – all coming against the No. 4-rated strength of schedule in the nation. Heath established new career-high totals in home runs and RBI and produced the first 50-hit campaign of her collegiate career this spring. The North Augusta, S.C., native impacted the game with her speed as well, collecting 21 stolen bases in 22 attempts. In Sun Belt play, she ranked Top 10 in batting average, slugging, on base percentage, OPS, runs scored, hits, RBI and home runs.

South Alabama’s Olivia Lackie put together a standout season for the Jags, cementing herself as one of the top pitchers in the Sun Belt and the NCAA during the 2023 season. Lackie set both the single-season (12) and career (31) marks for shutouts at South Alabama this spring, and she is tied for the NCAA lead in shutouts, while also ranking among the top 20 nationally in wins (t-16th), strikeouts (18th) and ERA (26th). The Walker, La., native, leads the conference in shutouts and sits in the top three in opposing batting average, ERA, strike outs and wins. Lackie has struck out 30.2 percent (201/665) of the batters she’s faced this season, and in her three seasons in the circle with the Jags, the junior RHP has struck out 32.2 percent (659/2,085) of the opposition. Lackie was also named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on six occasions this spring.

Junior shortstop Sydney Bickel made an immediate impact at Marshall this season after transferring from Louisville. Bickel turned six double plays at shortstop with 95 assists and 60 putouts. Using her speed in the two-hole, Bickel leads the conference with seven triples, a mark that ranks third nationally, and is fifth in the conference with 56 hits. The Peoria, Ariz., native also ranks in the top 10 in the conference with 19 stolen bases. Bickel closed out the regular season slate batting .376, having started all 49 games for Marshall this spring.

Louisiana’s Mihyia Davis, a Top 25 Finalist for NFCA National Freshman of the Year, leads the Sun Belt and ranks third nationally in stolen bases and stolen bases per game while also recording eight outfield assists this spring. The freshman outfielder is just the third Cajun in program history to reach 40 stolen bases in a season, swiping 45 stolen bases in 46 games at an 87 percent success rate. Davis, a slap-hit specialist who leads Louisiana with 20 multiple-hit games and 61 total hits, is the first Cajuns freshman since 2014 to reach 60 base hits and the only freshman in the conference to reach that mark in 2023.

Becky Clark earns her second-straight Sun Belt Coach of the Year honor after leading South Alabama to its first 20-win season in Sun Belt play. The Jags finished the Sun Belt regular season slate with a 20-4 record, good for second-best in the league. South Alabama was undefeated at home in conference play, with its 21 total home wins also setting a new high mark. Entering the conference tournament, the Jags have won 13 straight games – tied for the fourth-longest streak in program history – and 24 of their last 28.

Louisiana (7), South Alabama (5), Marshall (5), Troy (4), James Madison (2), Coastal Carolina (2), and Texas State (2) each had multiple All-Sun Belt recipients. 11-of-12 Sun Belt programs were represented on the two All-Sun Belt teams.

The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Champions begins Wednesday in Lafayette, La. The tournament runs through May 13, when a conference champion will be crowned and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Player of the Year
Karly Heath, Louisiana (SR, OF – North Augusta, S.C.)

Pitcher of the Year
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama (JR, P – Walker, La.)

Newcomer of the Year
Sydney Bickel, Marshall (JR, SS – Peoria, Ariz.)

Freshman of the Year
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (FR, OF – Lovelady, Texas)

Coach of the Year
Becky Clark, South Alabama

First Team
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama (JR, P – Walker, La.)
Sydney Nester, Marshall (R-SR, P – Hillsville, Va.)
Hannah Shifflett, James Madison (GR, 1B – North Garden, Va.)
KK Mathis, James Madison (FR, 2B – West Chester, Ohio)
Sydney Bickel, Marshall (JR, SS – Peoria, Ariz.)
Meredith Keel, South Alabama (GS, 3B – Ashville, Ohio)
Autumn Owen, Marshall (JR, C – Mill Spring, N.C.)
Iyanla De Jesus, Coastal Carolina (SR, DP – Mill Creek, Wash.)
Karly Heath, Louisiana (SR, OF – North Augusta, S.C.)
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana (FR, OF – Lovelady, Texas)
Victoria Ortiz, South Alabama (R-SR, OF – Mobile, Ala.)
Jessica Mullins, Texas State (JR, P – Tarkington, Texas)
Lauren Allred, Louisiana (FR, 1B – Texarkana, Texas)
Alex Coleman, Marshall (SO, OF – Asheboro, N.C.)
Grace Chelemen, Marshall (5th, OF – Woodhaven, Mich.)

Second-Team
Meghan Schorman, Louisiana (SR, P – Hazelwood, Mo.)
Jenna Hardy, South Alabama (SR, P – Whitehouse, Ohio)
Libby Baker, Troy (JR, 1B – Skipperville, Ala.)
Taylor McKinney, Troy (SO, 2B – Montgomery, Ala.)
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana (SO, SS – Keller, Texas)
Sara Vanderford, Texas State (SR, 3B – Pasadena, Texas)
Sophie Piskos, Louisiana (JR, C – Paris, Tenn.)
Kelly Horne, Troy (SR, DP – Tallahassee, Fla.)
Emily Brown, Georgia State (SR, OF – Suwanee, Ga.)
Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama (SR, OF – Orange Beach, Ala.)
Kayt Houston, App State (JR, OF – Rock Hill, S.C.)
Hannah Borden, Southern Miss (SR, C – Trussville, Ala.)
Sam Landry, Louisiana (SO, P – Mont Belvieu, Texas)
Emma Davis, Georgia Southern (FR, OF – Grayson, Ga.)
Leanna Johnson, Troy (SR, P – Brantley, Ala.)
Diamond Williams, Coastal Carolina (SR, OF – Evans, Ga.)
* Ties were not broken.