Barbe High all-state right-handed pitcher Landon Victorian led a Southwest Louisiana contingent of eight Division I signees on National Signing Day on Wednesday.

Victorian, who led the Bucs to their 12th state championship and a 39-1 record in May, signed with defending national champion LSU.

It is the fourth consecutive year that LSU has tapped the Southwest Louisiana market.

The Tigers picked up southpaw pitcher Jake Brown (Sulphur) and outfielder Griffin Cooley (Kinder) last year and catcher Ethan Frey (Rosepine) and pitcher/infielder Gavin Guidry (Barbe) in 2021. LSU signed Brody Drost (Barbe) and Garrett Edwards (Pitkin) in 2020.

“It is a dream come true,” Victorian said. “I have been dreaming of this since I was a kid. LSU is my dream school, so I am just glad that God blessed me to be in this position right now.

“I am just going to enjoy it and take every moment in. It is an honor. I am just going to work hard, try to honor the area and take my talents over there and compete.”

Victorian went 8-0 with a 0.98 earned run average to lead the Bucs pitching staff in the spring. He struck out 80 batters in 50 innings with six walks.

Barbe infielders Owen Galt and Kasen Bellard signed with Louisiana-Lafayette.

“It feels good,” Galt said. “I love the coaches and the atmosphere there. It is going to be a great spot for me. I am going to play hard and fast, be a fun player to be out there with and I am just going to want to win no matter what.”

Bellard hit .417 as a junior with 11 doubles, 28 RBI, 32 runs and 19 stolen bases.

“It feels amazing,” Bellard said. “I feel blessed.

“It is not the end of the road. I am grateful for the moment and I am going to enjoy it. It is just the beginning of a long journey, so I am excited.”

Sulphur infielder Bryce Fontenot signed with McNeese State. Fontenot batted .402 with 29 RBIs, 10 doubles, seven home runs and 41 runs scored as he helped lead the Tors to a second consecutive semifinal appearance.

“It is amazing. It is a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders,” Fontenot said. “I can just go out there and play.

“It just felt like home,” he said of his visit to McNeese. “I love the coaches there. I love the players, and I have former teammates that I will get to play with too.”

Two members of Sam Houston’s semifinalist team will be headed to the Division I ranks in relief pitcher Nik Toups (Southeastern Louisiana) and infielder/pitcher Griffin Hebert.

Toups went 2-1 with four saves and a 1.90 ERA over 24 2/3 innings.

“I am very thankful to be here and blessed and allow myself to play another day,” Toups said.

“I love it over there (Southeastern). I love the coaches, the new coaching staff and everything. I think I can bring championship pitching and all that.”

Hebert batted .467 with two home runs, 14 RBIs and 17 stolen bases, while posting a 2-0 record on the mound with three saves and a 0.00 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.

“It is a great honor and I am excited to play for Coach (Matt) Deggs and a couple of alumni from Sam Houston,” Hebert said. “I had a couple of friends on the team go there, and Coach Matt Deggs and Coach (Seth) Thibodeaux are good friends, and I love their energy.”

South Beauregard pitcher Jace Duhon inked with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. He helped the Golden Knights reach the nonselect Division III semifinals while going 9-2 with a 1.04 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 66 innings with 12 walks.

Also at Sam Houston, Tyson Roach became the Broncos’ first Division I wrestling signee. The two-time state champion signed with Arkansas-Little Rock. He is 117-8 in his last two seasons, winning the Division II 126-pound state title last season and 106 in 2021.

“It was a big-time blessing,” Roach said. “There were a couple of other colleges that put a lot of interest into me that I talked to and took a couple visits.

“Little Rock definitely caught my interest the most. The guys felt like a big family there, so I had to go with them out of all the places. It is very rare, and I know I would be the very first one from Sam Houston.”

Division I

Landon Victorian (Barbe), LSU, baseball

Owen Galt (Barbe), Louisiana-Lafayette, baseball

Kasen Bellard (Barbe), Louisiana-Lafayette, baseball

Griffin Hebert (Sam Houston), Louisiana-Lafayette, baseball

Jace Duhon (South Beauregard), Louisiana-Monroe baseball

Bryce Fontenot (Sulphur), McNeese State, baseball

Nik Toups (Sam Houston), Southeastern Louisiana, baseball

Tyson Roach (Sam Houston), Arkansas-Little rock, wrestling

Division III

Brody Harlow (Sulphur), Centenary, baseball

Junior College

Cole Eaves (South Beauregard), Southeast Arkansas College, baseball

Bryce Deason (South Beauregard), Hill (Texas) College, baseball

KeMonni Pullard (St. Louis Catholic), LSU-Eunice, baseball

Dylan Bell (Sam Houston), LSU-Eunice, baseball

Kennedy Leggett (St. Louis Catholic), Coastal Alabama Community College, baseball

NAIA

Hailey Mire (Sam Houston), Louisiana Christian, softball

Lorena Williams (Sam Houston), LSU-Alexandria, softball