The Southland Conference named seniors Maggie Darr, Laney Roos and Ashlyn Walker of Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Lady Demon softball team, for the 2024 preseason all-conference selections. Those three Lady Demon softball players made it on the second team squad just before the start of the season.

Maggie Darr, senior health and exercise science major and pitcher, was one of the top strikeout pitchers in the conference. In her career, she surpassed 100 Ks (kilo second) on the season for the first time, the third most overall finishing with 126 and the sixth most with 49 conference play.

This was Darr’s first time being selected, leaving her emotional.

“It’s really exciting, I’ve never gotten a preseason all-conference award,” Darr said. “It definitely wants you to keep wanting more and working harder and not get complacent with it.”

Having the seventh lowest opponent batting average in the season at .242 and her second straight season a sub-.245 average against her, Darr was one of nine pitchers to record double-digit wins on the year with a career high of 12.

After her hard work on the field, she is grateful for everything she has ever been able to accomplish.

“Receiving the title means everything you’ve put into it, even before college, how much work we put in to get where we’re at is getting recognized,” Darr said. “We kept working harder and harder and got a lot of awards. I feel appreciated and I’m grateful for that.”

Laney Roos, senior general studies major and outfielder, finished the 2023 season as third on the team with a batting average of .296, with 11 doubles, 13 total extra-base hits, 23 RBI and 35 total runs scored.

She finished seventh overall in the conference in runs scored and a top 10 total of finishing with 15 home runs. This is her second time receiving this title and it means a lot to her to be selected, she said.

“It shows all the work you put in and it’s nice to be rewarded for it and receive those awards,” Roos said.

The season matched a career high and second straight season with her 11 doubles, which was the ninth most in the conference in the year. Roos only struck out twice against SLC pitching in 24 games and more than 65 total at bats.

After managing to achieve a career batting average of .309 entering the season and .444 in slugging (the total number of bases a player record per at-bat), Roos shared some of her other goals she has in mind for the upcoming season.

“Our goal as seniors is to win the conference tournament, no matter my spot on the field or what position I’m playing I just want to help the team win.” Roos said. “I would like to get hitter of the year, I know it’s a big award, but I would like to do that, and I know it takes a lot of work. I would also like to be on the all-tournament team, I was on it once before and that was a great reward.”

Ashlyn Walker, senior biology major and catcher, was one of three catchers in the SLC to throw out 10 or more potential base stealers in the year. She was ranked second in the conference with catching seven base stealers.

Walker was thrilled to receive preseason all-conference, with this being her first time.

“I’m very grateful to be recognized by the Southland and it motivates me to be the best player I can be this year,” Walker said. “It’s a great honor because with this being my last year of softball it gives me a boost of confidence, and all the hard work I have put in since I was a little girl has started to pay off.”

She hit seven doubles with a home run and drove in 15, all while having a .336 on-base percentage. Walker addressed how the team and coaching staff have impacted her softball career immensely.

“This team has such great talent and skill, and the work ethic is great,” Walker said. “Coach Lacy Prejean has had an amazing impact on our program already, and she has been putting us in the best position to be the best players and people we can be. Every day she pushes us to get after it and enjoy the grind of it, and I think we will be successful in the end because of it.”

Alongside these three players, NSU Lady Demons softball ranked sixth in the preseason headed into 2024 looking to win the conference title this year.