Special to the American Press

McNeese State softball outfielder/pitcher Alexis Dibbley was voted the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Freshman of the Year.

The Cowgirls (40-20, 22-2 Southland Conference), who won the SLC regular-season championship, placed two players — pitcher Shaelyn Sanders and first baseman Corine Poncho — on the first team, with Dibbley and second baseman Mariana Torres honorable mentions.

Dibbley, who played at Sam Houston High School in Moss Bluff, was also voted the Southland Conference Freshman of the Tear. She is the third Cowgirl to earn the LSWA and first since Erika Piancastelli (2015). She led the Cowgirls with a .351 batting average and 13 doubles, tied for a team-high with three triples, was second on the team with 53 hits, 30 runs, six home runs, 20 walks, 90 total bases and a .596 slugging percentage.

In the circle, Dibbley (4-2, 3.90 ERA, 1 Sv) struck out 24 in 52 innings.

Sanders (20-10, 1.76 ERA, 3 Sv) recorded seven shutouts and led the team with 156 strikeouts in 19911/3 innings. She won her first 10 conference games and held conference opponents to a league-low .191 batting average.

Poncho (.313, 22 RBIs) led McNeese with 15 home runs and tied for a team-high 16 stolen bases. She was third on the team with 50 hits.

Torres (.264, 2 HR, 21 RBIs) stole 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts and boasted a .961 fielding percentage.