HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University junior pitcher Macie LaRue was named the 2025 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and was one of five Lady Lions to earn a spot on the All-Southland Conference teams, which were announced by the SLC office Wednesday.
LaRue was joined on the first team by junior third baseman Maria Detillier, sophomore shortstop Chloe Magee and senior outfielder Shenita Tucker. The four first team selections were tied for the most in the SLC this season and was the second-highest single-season total in program history behind 2024’s five first-team honorees.
Southeastern’s All-Southland Conference contingent was senior pitcher Brtiney Lewinski, who was SLU’s lone second team choice. LaRue and Lewinksi’s selection marked the second straight season two Lady Lion pitchers earned All-SLC honors.
LaRue is the second player in program history to be named SLC Newcomer of the Year, joining Mahalia Gibson, who claimed the honor in 2019. The Lovelady, Texas, native in her first season in Hammond out of Bossier Parish Community College is just the third first team All-SLC pitcher in program history, along with Cera Blanchard (2024) and SLU Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Ray (2007).
In her debut season, LaRue is 17-2 with a 2.04 earned run average and 112 strikeouts in 126.2 innings pitched, serving as the ace of a Lady Lion staff that ranks fifth in Division I in earned run average (2.11) and shutouts (16), setting a single-season record in the latter category. LaRue earned 10 of her wins in the circle in Southland Conference play.
After earning All-Louisiana honors in each of her first two seasons, Detillier claimed her first career All-Southland nod after her best season yet as a Lady Lion. The Gramercy native finished the regular season with a .391 batting average to go with four home runs, 51 RBI, 14 doubles, six triples and 17 stolen bases.
Magee was named first team All-Southland Conference for the second-straight season and is just the fifth multi-time first team All-SLC selection in program history, adding her name to a list that includes Bailey Krolczyk, Audrey Greely, Aeriyl Mass and Southeastern Athletics Hall of Famer and current Director of Softball Operations Katie Godwin. The Watson product leads the conference with 33 stolen bases and 15 sacrifice hits to go with a .366 batting average, 48 runs scored and 36 RBI.
Tucker was named first team All-SLC in her first season in Hammond, after earning second team All-Southland and conference Newcomer of the Year honors last spring. The Richmond, Texas, native boasts a team-high .422 batting average to go with 35 runs, 67 hits, 22 RBI, 23 walks and 22 stolen bases. Tucker led the SLC with a remarkable .569 batting average in conference games.
Lewinski has teamed with LaRue and Hallie Burns to lead the Southeastern pitching staff in her first season after transferring from Syracuse. The Shorewood, Illinois, native closed out the regular season with an 8-4 record and 2.07 ERA, while ranking second in the Southland with four saves. Lewinski closed the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record in conference games, yielding an SLC-low .182 batting average versus Southland foes.
LaRue took home one of six Southland Conference individual superlative awards. Regular season champion McNeese was represented by Coach of the Year James Landreneau, Freshman of the Year Kassidy Chance and Pitcher of the Year Maddie Taylor. UIW’s Victoria Altamirano claimed Player and Hitter of the Year honors.
Reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion SLU will begin its defense of its title today, when the 2025 Southland Conference Championship Hammond Bracket begins at North Oak Park. Southeastern will face HCU at 4 p.m. to open its postseason run.
