The McNeese Cowgirls softball is the team that represents McNeese State University, as they are located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Cowgirls are a member of the Southland Conference and participate in NCAA Division I college softball. The team is currently led by their head coach James Landreneau and play home games at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond.
History The first season for McNeese State Cowgirl softball was 1979. The Cowgirls competed as an independent for the first four seasons. The team won the Louisiana championship two of those seasons (1979, 1981). After softball became an NCAA and Southland Conference sponsored sport, the Cowgirls have competed in the conference and at the Division I (NCAA) level. The Cowgirls have won six Southland Conference regular season championships (1983, 1994 (T), 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) and eight Southland Conference tournament championships (1983, 2005, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2026) earning the conference's autobid to the NCAA Division I softball tournament in 2005 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2026. The team also competed in the 1994 NCAA tournament as an at-large selection. As of the conclusion of the 2018 season, the Cowgirls have compiled a 1041–1048–4 overall record with an overall conference record of 406–346–3. Erika Piancastelli is McNeese State's first and only All-American. She was named an NFCA All-American in 2016.
Career coaching records Coach Numberof seasons Overall record WinningpercentageCoaching records Cathy Cunningham Jim Draudt Vicki Chapman Cheryl Manuel Cherilyn Lantrip Rose Ruffino Scott Eastman Chris Malveaux Natalie Poole Mike Smith Joanna Hardin James Landreneau Overall (Records reflect game results through 2021 season.)
Year-by-year results Source:
SeasonConferenceCoachOverallConferenceNotes Games Win Loss Tie Games Win Loss TieNCAA Year-by-Year Results 1979 Independent Cathy Cunningham 24 16 8 0 0 0 0 0 Louisiana Champions 1980 Independent Cathy Cunningham 26 12 14 0 0 0 0 0 1981 Independent Jim Draudt 45 33 12 0 0 0 0 0 Louisiana Champions 1982 Independent Jim Draudt 42 26 16 0 0 0 0 0 1983 Southland Vicky Chapman 37 19 18 0 8 5 3 0 SLC Regular Season and Tournament champions 1984 Southland Cheryl Manuel 51 24 27 0 8 5 3 0 2nd 1985 Southland Cheryl Manuel 50 19 31 0 12 7 5 0 4th 1986 Southland Cherilyn Lantrip 43 19 24 0 12 6 6 0 3rd 1987 Southland Cherilyn Lantrip 37 23 14 0 12 8 4 0 3rd 1988 Southland Rose Ruffino 42 8 34 0 14 3 11 0 6th 1989 Southland Rose Ruffino 54 9 45 0 14 0 14 0 8th 1990 Southland Rose Ruffino 48 10 38 0 15 2 13 0 8th 1991 Southland Rose Ruffino 44 11 33 0 22 5 17 0 6th 1992 Southland Rose Ruffino 54 18 36 0 28 6 22 0 9th 1993 Southland Scott Eastman 52 23 28 1 25 12 12 1 4th 1994 Southland Scott Eastman 61 35 24 2 30 22 7 1 SLC Champions; NCAA tournament – 1st round 1995 Southland Scott Eastman 62 37 25 0 32 22 10 0 3rd 1996 Southland Scott Eastman 53 31 22 0 24 17 7 0 2nd 1997 Southland Scott Eastman 59 32 27 0 23 13 10 0 3rd 1998 Southland Scott Eastman 47 13 34 0 24 7 17 0 9th 1999 Southland Scott Eastman 60 26 34 0 25 14 11 0 5th 2000 Southland Scott Eastman 60 27 33 0 27 16 11 0 4(T) 2001 Southland Scott Eastman 53 21 32 0 26 13 13 0 6th 2002 Southland Scott Eastman 51 23 28 0 27 17 10 0 4th 2003 Southland Scott Eastman 52 24 27 1 27 15 11 1 3rd 2004 Southland Scott Eastman 60 19 41 0 25 8 17 0 9th 2005 Southland Chris Malveaux 69 34 35 0 27 12 15 0 6th, SLC tournament champions; NCAA regionals 2006 Southland Chris Malveaux 51 21 30 0 26 13 13 0 4th 2007 Southland Chris Malveaux 62 30 32 0 27 16 11 0 5th 2008 Southland Chris Malveaux 59 23 36 0 29 15 14 0 5th 2009 Southland Natalie Poole 59 31 28 0 30 20 10 0 2nd 2010 Southland Natalie Poole 65 38 27 0 30 17 13 0 4th, SLC tournament champions; NCAA regionals 2011 Southland Natalie Poole 60 31 29 0 30 18 12 0 4th2012 Southland Mike Smith 55 34 21 0 20 12 8 0 3rd 2013 Southland Mike Smith 53 38 15 0 24 19 5 0 1st, SLC regular-season champions 2014 Southland Mike Smith 57 40 17 0 26 20 6 0 1st, SLC regular-season champions 2015 Southland Joanna Hardin 56 36 20 0 26 21 5 0 2nd 2016 Southland Joanna Hardin 57 43 14 0 27 23 4 0 1st, SLC regular-season champions; SLC tournament champions; NCAA regionals 2017 Southland James Landreneau 61 43 18 0 27 24 3 0 1st, SLC regular-season champions; SLC tournament champions; NCAA regionals 2018 Southland James Landreneau 62 41 21 0 27 18 9 0 2nd; SLC tournament champions; NCAA regionals 2019 Southland James Landreneau 65 33 32 0 27 19 8 0 3rd; NISC Regionals 2020 Southland James Landreneau 26 19 7 0 3 3 0 0 2nd (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Southland James Landreneau 58 34 24 0 27 18 9 0 3rd; NCAA regionals
Post-season appearances
Conference Tournaments Sources: Year Conference Record % NotesConference softball tournament Results 1983 Southland 4–0 1.000 Tournament Champion 1984 Southland 2–2 .500 1985 Southland 0–2 .000 1986 Southland 3–2 .600 1987 Southland 2–2 .500 1988 Southland 0–2 .000 1989 Southland 0–2 .000 1990 Southland 2–2 .333 1991–1995 No Tournament 1996 Southland 0–2 .000 1997 Southland 0–2 .000 1999 Southland 3–2 .600 2000 Southland 2–2 .500 2001 Southland 0–2 .500 2002 Southland 0–2 .500 2003 Southland 1–2 .333 2005 Southland 5–1 .833 Tournament Champion 2006 Southland 0–2 .000 2007 Southland 0–2 .000 2008 Southland 1–1 .500 2009 Southland 2–2 .500 2010 Southland 4–0 1.000 Tournament Champion 2011 Southland 2–2 .500 2012 Southland 2–2 .500 2013 Southland 0–2 .000 2014 Southland 2–2 .500 2015 Southland 0–2 .000 2016 Southland 3–0 1.000 Tournament Champion 2017 Southland 3–0 1.000 Tournament Champion 2018 Southland 4–0 1.000 Tournament Champion 2019 Southland 1–2 .333 2020 No Tournament (COVID-19 pandemic) 2021 Southland 4–0 1.000 Tournament Champion Total 52–48 31 appearances
NCAA Division I tournament results The Cowgirls have appeared in six NCAA Division I tournaments. Their record is 5–14.Source: Year Part Round Opponent Result/scoreNCAA Division I tournament results 1994 Regionals No. 4 First gameSecond game Louisiana–LafayettePrinceton L 0–3L 0–2 2005 College Station Regionals First gameSecond gameThird game Texas A&MCentenaryPenn State L 3–6W 5–2L 1–2 2010 Baton Rouge Regionals First gameSecond game LSUTexas A&M L 0–6L 0–2 2016 Baton Rouge Regionals First gameSecond gameThird game Arizona StateLSUArizona State W 5–2L 1–4 L 2–3 (14 inn) 2017 Baton Rouge Regionals First gameSecond gameThird game Louisiana–LafayetteFairfieldLSU L 0–6W 6–2 L 1–10 (6 inn) 2018 College Station Regionals First gameSecond gameThird game BaylorTexas A&MBaylor W 11–10L 1–10 (6 inn) L 0–6 2021 Baton Rouge Regionals First gameSecond gameThird game LSUGeorge WashingtonLouisiana L 2–10 (6 inn)W 12–0 (5 inn) L 0–4
NISC Tournament results The Cowgirls have appeared in one NISC tournament. Their record is 3–2. Year Part Round Opponent Result/scoreNISC Tournament Results 2019 Stephen F. Austin Regionals First gameSecond gameThird gameFourth gameRegional championship Middle TennesseeUT ArlingtonStephen F. AustinUT ArlingtonUT Arlington W 7–3L 3–5W 3–1W 6–1L 3–4 (10 inn)
Awards and honors Conference awards Sources:
Southland Conference Player of the Year Heather Moreaux 2000 Alanna DiVittorio 2014 Erika Piancastelli 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Southland Conference Hitter of the Year Kerry Riggs 1994 Heather Moreaux 2000 Alanna DiVittorio 2014 Erika Piancastelli 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Rikki Fontenot 2002 Christina Allen 2006 Erika Piancastelli 2015
Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year Angella Harrison 1994 Jamie Allred 2014 Rachel Smith 2017
Southland Conference Utility Player of the Year Jenny Clay 2007, 08
Southland Conference Coach of the Year Scott Eastman 1994 Natalie Poole 2009 Mike Smith 2013, 2014 James Landreneau 2017
All Conference First Team Tammy Guidry 1983 Joni Talbot 1987 Angela Harrison 1994 Keri Riggs 1994, 1995 Shyla Sicks 1994 Kerri Chiasson 1995 Natalie Poole 1995, 1996, 1997 Kathy Sturgeon 1995 Sarah Everingham 1997, 1998 Heather Moreaux 2000 Tania Zanet 2000 Beth Jordan 2002, 2005 Stephanie Denham 2003 Brooke Broadhead 2007 Jenny Clay 2008 Claire Terracina 2011, 2012 Ashley Modzelewski 2012, 2013, 2014 Meagan Bond 2013 Alanna DiVittorio 2013, 2014 Jamie Allred 2014 Erika Piancastelli 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Bryanna Castro 2015 Lauren Langner 2015 Hailey Drew 2016 Morgan Catron 2016, 2018 Emily Vincent 2016 Alexandria Saldivar 2017, 2018 Justyce McClain 2017, 2018, 2019 Rachel Smith 2017
See also List of NCAA Division I softball programs
References
External links Official website